The girl with the dragon earings
by Achanakb0048
Summary: Anaka is a young girl of Seventeen who has been been cursed, not just any curse, she has been dragon cursed. She was the first before Katara of the new generation to be able to water bend in the southern tribe. But, this secret was hidden from the tribe, along with her ability to fire bend. new gang be able to help her as they save the world? Or will Zuko?
1. When things were not so bad

Anaka was a normal water tribe girl from a water tribe in the south. She was a water Bender like her mother, the day started as any other. They'd sneak off to go practice their water bending away from the village, to keep it a secret so they would be safe from the fire nation.  
"Mama, mama wait up" her tiny legs tried to catch up to her mother.

" What is it my sweet?" Her mother cooed at her sweet little minnow

" Daddy was talkin to da chief and he said we're...I'm dragon marked. What does that mean mama?" she said between sobs

Angered her mother stormed back into the hut to confront her deranged husband. He should know not to talk of such things in front of their daughter.

Hakoda steps out of the small family's hut laughing with the husband  
"Joh what in the gods are you thinking, talking about the "family curse in front of our daughter she's only five!"

"It seems like I'm not wanted here so I'll excuse myself" the chief said as he skirted away slowly. It was well known by now that his wife's sister was not to be troubled with when she was angry. And boy, was she angry now.

"What's wrong crystal she was going to learn it someday?"

"Are you trying to scare our daughter! She is only a little girl"

"Mama" Anaka started to cry  
" Sweetest go find your cousins while me and daddy talk for a while. Mommy will 'play' with you later."

Anaka sniffed and ran to her cousin's hut

Joh scoffed" See, there you go spoiling her! When she is of age she will wear the earrings as I wear my necklace symbolizing being dragon marked. All those fire breathers do is tear this family apart! I'm the only one left besides my daughter and that's because you were crazy enough to marry and old man like me Cry's! She needs to learn of our curse or die an awful death!"

" She's too young! You scared away all the girls before me with your crazy talk, you're definitely going to scare MY daughter from you too!"

Anaka ran hard as she could she hated when her mother and father fought. She could see her cousins house in her sights

"Sokka, Katara!" She burst through the door running smack into Hakoda's legs " uff"  
"Well kaya, it looks like we have a visitor" the young chief said.

" Why yes, I suppose we do. Were you looking for your cousins dear?"  
Kaya asked she looked very similar to her mother, but she mom had longer and curlier hair than kaya. Well the resemblance was to be expected from the twins.

"Sowy chief Hakoda. For bumping inta you" Anaka mumbled with a cast down gaze

" How many time do I have to tell you Anaka that it's okay to call me uncle no matter what that pigheaded father of yours says!" He said with a jubilant chuckle.

He picked up the young girl in his arms and swung her around and resting her on his hip.  
"My, my how you have grown little minnow! You'll be the prettiest girl in the village yet, right after my daughter!" And the man started to laugh.  
The small girl tried to wiggle away from him  
Kaya saw this and asked her a question " Why are you here today? It can't be because you missed us so soon? You just saw us at breakfast."

Which was true the young girl and her family did just see them due to the weekly family breakfast. After wards her and her mother would run off to work on their bending skills all day. Well, until her father had to distract her mother from their ritual.

Hakoda set Anaka down and she scurried to her aunt's arms tear welling from her eyes.

" Mommy and Daddy are fightin again" at these few words uttered by the crying child changed the whole happy atmosphere to stern and worry  
Both of the two knew how the aging father of hers knew that his time was coming ever since the young girl turned four. He had been pressing to tell her of the prophecy and what was to become of her family. It had put such a strain on her once happy family. The times were already tough enough with the war ongoing just beyond the polar ice to be adding anymore to it.

Kaya knew even more than the little girl might let on and kept a few secrets for herself due to the fact it wasn't her choice or right to oust the two. She knew from a young age what her sister was. How could she not? They were twins after all. When she saw the same thing in her niece she knew what she would become. But if her sister was not ready to reveal this fact then so be it. Although she did have hope Katara would be another bender in the family. It would just be more time and she could be sure, then she would ask for her sister to train her daughter in the art. But she also knew how the young child in her arms would often be up and awake after her curfew, listening to her father retell on the curse of being dragon marked. She knew that the girl knew more than she should because she had caught her several nights doing just that, hiding in the shadows listening to the grown-ups talk about the future. Patting the young my girls head full of soft brown curls lighter than her mother's color but not too off.  
Little brown eyes deep and rich which she gained from her father blood, turned up to look at her blue ones in questioning worry.  
" It's alright your daddy is just scared"

"Scared that I'm the prophecy?" Sniffles came from her small form

The shock hit the two adults hard in the small hut. Laughter and small running feet came closer to the hut

The two children came barreling in

" Huh? Anaka do you want to play?" Katara asked unaware of what just happened she was only three at the time

"Katara!" cried Sokka. "Give me back Boomie!" Sokka was Katara's older brother by a year and even if you looked at them you could barely see the resemblance, whether that was due to their drastically different natures the young girl couldn't tell, but when their family was together you could see they were siblings. they did have their mother's eyes.

"If you weren't such a meanie you would have it already!" katara feistily said at her brother

"look, sis it isn't my fault that it knocked over your pitiful snow blob! it was an accident!"

"it was an otter penguin!" she stomped her foot on her brother's angrily. he father gave Sokka a stern look.

"OWW! look I'm sorry I destroyed your otter penguin! ok? can I have my Boomie back now?" Sokka asked.

katara handed back the boy's boomerang and ran up to her mother and cousin, but not before revealing. "I knew it was an accident but I wanted to see your face when I took your precious 'boomie' from you." giggling "it was worth it" Sokka stood there stumped his father kneeled down and clapped his hand on the boy's shoulder laughing. "She is sure going to be trouble in the future!"

Anaka couldn't help but giggle at the sight of her astounded cousin. and her tears ceased from falling down her face.

Kaya noticed this and saw a perfect opportunity for the kids to leave so she and her husband could deal with the issue at hand.

"look Anaka, your cousins are here. Didn't you want to go and play with them?" kaya soothingly asked the little girl

Anaka silently nodded

"great! we can play-"  
And the younger of the two girls pulled her outside away from the hut, their conversation and planning lost to the shelter of the hut. Sokka finally snapping back to reality ran after them although still being younger than his cousin he still felt the need to watch over and protect them both even if it was from themselves.

Kaya looked at her husband  
"We need to talk to them"  
Little did they know how that would not happen, and how their world would change


	2. when things went bad

Authors note

Hey so this is a story following most of the main events only changing some due to Anaka being in it. I know I didn't say before in the last chapter the disclaimer about not owning the characters so here goes

Disclaimer I don't own any of the avatar characters only Anaka and my way of viewing and depicting them within my story.

So I'll only do this every other chapter, and this is my first fanfic so sorry if it sucks. Also m rated for dark themes and later chps

Also the ages have been changed a little for further reference

Anaka 17

Zuko 17

Sokka 16

Katara 15

Anng 13

Bye

" We could play turtle duck, fire goose? Or we could make snow angels or, I know we can make many animal men out of snow!" Katara said excitedly

"Animal men?" Anaka looked at her cousin confused

"She means like snow animals instead of snowmen. Geez!" Sokka explained due to his sister's weird new habit of saying animal men.

"Oh, sure! That sounds fun katara" Anaka said happily, it was easy to forget trouble when her young cousin's face was lit up with such joy.

" While you two girl play your girly games of yours, this man is going to train to be a warrior! Playing with you two is beneath the likes of me!" Sokka said with two thumbs pointing at himself. He was headstrong, and everyday he tried to train with the older boys and each day he failed due to his young age. But that did not deter him in the slightest, he was definitely his father's son.

Anaka knew she would knock him off his high horse, she looked at katara and motioned her to be quiet and bent down in the newly fallen snow and made a snowball. Katara was trying to stifle her giggling so her brother wouldn't suspect a thing, she knew what Anaka had in mind before she even started. She reeled back and took her aim at the departing boys head. And fired it, hitting her target with great accuracy, but she may have done a small amount of bending to correct any slight misthrow.

"Hey!" Sokka said as he tried to recover from the icy attack

" I don't see any man here just a boy fraid to play with girls" Anaka said to rile him up.

" I'll show you who's afraid!" Sokka brushed off the snow and made ammo from his own. He aimed for the two laughing girls, but more at his rude cousin, than younger sister. But his snowball throwing was way off, hitting his younger sister square in the face instead of his intended target.

Stunned the two girls ceased their merriment and Katara started to get angry, she brushed what remained of the misthrown snowball of her brother's and bent down to take her own revenge. And all out children's war was about to begin.

And so they played swapping teams and hitting each other with snowballs left and right. It was so much fun Anaka forgot about her parents and the siblings forgot about their social status in the tribe. They, for that hour, were just three good friends playing in the snow.

A horn blew in the distance stopping the games for only a second of consideration and the children soon returned to their own fun. But it was the second more clearly heard horn that ultimately stopped the young troop on their snowball extravaganza. Worry started to set in, it wasn't an everyday thing to hear the horn sound and once the village seemed to understand something was amiss chaos ensued. Mothers ushered their kids inside and men grabbed their gear for battle.

"Sokka! Katara! Anaka! Where are you?" Kaya yelled.

The three ran toward her voice bumping into others as the pushed against the current of flooding people. Kaya saw the three as they made their way to her " thank goodness now get inside it isn't safe"

"Why auntie? What is wrong?" Anaka asked with great worry on her face

Another horn sounded twice in short bursts

"The village is under attack, don't worry we'll be safe. Now please get inside with your cousins it is safer in there" kaya tried to explain calmly to the child she could already here the whimpers of her own children within the hut and didn't need to have another to fuel their fear.

"Ok" the girl said with a glazed look

Kaya saw her far away gaze she had a feeling her sister was hiding more than just her bending abilities if her kid had a safe place to go to in her head when things like this happened, she would address that later for now she had to get inside and calm the younger ones and secure the hut.

...

They found Sokka and katara hugging each other close and crying in their parent's room. Unfazed and numb Anaka was nudged in by kaya and she stumbled toward the giant bed covered in furs with a blank stare. The two already frightened kids started to worry more at their cousin's odd behavior. Kaya new she had to get them to a calmer state before she could do anything else.

" hush now you two, it's alright, daddy and his men are strong right?"

The two nodded

"Daddy and his men are brave, and this will be over soon"

A little calmer the two were but not enough for kaya to trust them not to do something crazy. She thought of ways to calm them down and figured a song would do the trick if not lull her kids to sleep. She was glad that they would be too young to really remember this in the future.

"Alright, who wants a song?" Kaya asked

Katara eyes lit up she loved when her mother sang it was beautiful.

Kaya saw this and found hope so she decided to sing one of her favorites

 _Hush now, my stóirín Close your eyes and sleep Waltzing the waves Diving the deep Stars are shining bright The wind is on the rise Whispering words of long lost lullabies_

 _Oh won't you come with me Where the moon is made of gold And in the morning sun We'll be sailing Oh won't you come with me Where the ocean meets the sky And as the clouds roll by We'll sing the song of the sea_

 _I had a dream last night And heard the sweetest sound I saw a great white light And dancers in the round Castles in the sand Cradles in the trees Don't cry, I'll see you by and by_

 _Oh won't you come with me Where the moon is made of gold And in the morning sun We'll be sailing Oh won't you come with me Where the ocean meets the sky And as the clouds roll by We'll sing the song of the sea_

 _Rolling Rolling Rolling Rolling_

 _Oh won't you come with me Where the moon is made of gold And in the morning sun We'll be sailing free Oh won't you come with me Where the ocean meets the sky And as the clouds roll by We'll sing the song of the sea Grá go deo_

Kaya was so enrapt by the song she failed to notice when the two nodded off, but she was happy that they would not be a problem anymore, with the fighting she could hear that had moved within the village. She picked them up gently to not wake them and went to carry them to the bed to be near their cousin. "Did you like my song anaka?" she turned her attention to her niece currently under her care. To her surprise the girl was not where she last was. "Anaka!" kaya cried paniclly, she had successfully taken care of two children but lost the third. And to top it off during a fire nation raid, this was not good. She left her kids behind in search for Anaka, she knew she had to.


	3. When things went from worse to horrific

Oh won't you come with me...

Where the moon is made of gold

It was pretty, such a pretty song, and a pretty voice sung it. It was wrong, so very wrong, the notes could not be more correct but, she wanted her mother not her aunt. Anaka wanted her mother, no needed her mother. Her small frame slowly rose for her perch on the bed of furs. Her legs carried her towards the exit. Slowly she approached the flap of fabric that shrouded the interior of the hut from the chaos of war just beyond it.

The sounds of war raging became louder with each step forward. Anaka felt no fear as she approached the flap of fabric separating the two worlds. The village laid outside the wind blew the fabric. The world was still foggy and the reality twisted. Anaka always was like that when she came back from her quiet place. She pulled the heavy veil and found an all-out war.

Red and blue clashed together violently, angered grunts and vicious cries rang loudly, and the realization took hold. She could see people she knew faces of, pushing and falling to, cutting and destroying the red men in armor. They blew and breathed fire. And the village was in chaos. Destruction had no color preference to either side taking as many as she please from both. Blood, Anaka could smell it thick in the air. She knew it well. The iron rusty scent that was sickening, she could also smell burning flesh and shrieking of hurt animals. Men, only men were this violent. Mitus, he turned to see her staring out from the hut. He was only a young man. He had helped her only the other day with fishing. The slight distraction caused him to be left open for attack. The man in the helmet and pointed red armor crashed into him. It was chaos, the war he tumbled down with the masked man. He shot fire from his hand down the agonizing cry from Mitus was too much, Anaka fell backwards into the hut. Her but hit the floor, but as soon as it did she scrambled back onto her feet. Her aunt was still singing she could hear it barely from the background of the war. She was scared, she wanted her mother badly. She knew this was scary but she knew that sitting here was not good, she wanted her mother. Anaka ran for the door. She paused to look at the man still producing flames on her fallen friend, he stopped and his shift in stance showed what remained. Mitus was still alive by a thread, but unrecognizable from what he used to be. "Run" he croaked as he reached out to her. Bloody blistered and bruised. She took no time in consideration of his order, as the figure above him turned to focus on her.

She took off running as fast as she could, she knew the village and could easily weave through the multiple huts and lose him. She had practice and skill, it wasn't the first time. 'Mommy I'm coming' she thought. "Anaka!" She heard her uncle yell. She turned to find him and others take down a man in red with their weapons still in hand. The apparel of the foreign man deepened in red, as the man's eyes fell cold and still. No matter which side of the fight Anaka could see each and every one of the warriors bled the same color.

"What are you doing? Where is..." her uncle started. "Stay with me" as he ushered her to his side. "Let's find your mother" the men circled her and put her in their protective enclosed backs. They moved slowly but all was for naught. Men crashed in from every side she was grabbed from the collar of her coat. She screamed her uncle Hakoda reeled around.

"Where is the water bender?" The masked man asked he lit a flame in his left hand and brought it toward her face. She could feel the heat from it. It felt like her left side of her face flush from it. It was burning her already. Its starch difference from the surrounding air was shocking. Tears pooled at the edge of her dark brown eyes. She pulled in her legs for comfort as she fixed her gaze on her uncle in questioning fear.

" I don't understand, there hasen't been water benders in years! Why are you here?" Hakoda tried to temper his anger for he knew, the foreigner held her life within his hands.

Anaka whimpered as she stared helpless. The man who was in clearly charge of the raid, raised the flame closer towards her face. " I'd be careful if I were you." He warned Hakoda. " I have the high ground here, and accidents can most certainly happen..." the flame within his hand jumped up towards her face. She screamed. " Anaka!" Hakoda screamed helplessly as he tried to reach for her. He was pulled back by her father. " ah aha a... now gentlemen. My information tells me that there IS in fact, a hidden water bender here. Now tell me where!" The fire shot up as his anger rose.

"There are no benders here!" Hakoda proceeded to reaffirm.

Anaka felt hope as she saw her mother running in her direction where none of the men in the standoff noticed. She could see the fire if determination within her eyes. Her hair gleamed the fires of the village and here eye cold as ice locked on the man holding her baby.

" I will NOT leave, until I have this bender" he raised his hand to burn her. Anaka knew this as her coat stared to catch flame. " Bastard!" Both men yelled. And water splashed her and froze the man's head.

Anaka was terrified she didn't do it. She didn't kill him. She fell from his grip. The snow grabbed and cushioned her fall.

"Well there is one, and she's NOT, leaving her baby." Her mother yelled at the men. She was bending. She was saved, her mama did it! They could come out of hiding. But as Anaka thought this, the men of red attacked.


	4. Bitter past, new beginnings

Thanks to everyone who has read this far. I know it wasn't what you were expecting, but after this chapter the main story will begin. Just a little more background here. Also I only have a vague idea about the curse so if you guys could leave any suggestions. It has to-do with her powers and being the one to destroy the family and eventually herself. So yeah. But anyway back to the story.

I also do not own any of the AtlA characters just this story and my rendition of them. Oh and also Anaka

She remembers everything slowly, falling to the ground and watching the men converge on her mother. Her mother grabbed water from the air and made a wall of water around her as the men blew fire. Her mom was strong but not strong enough. The men joined in the fray. They pulled back some of the men deflecting their flames.

Crystal had felt the urgency to join the fight. She needed to know that her baby was safe. When she came upon the scene of her helpless husband and crying child, she knew she was right. She pulls the water and threw it at the man who held her baby. It felt good. Hakoda looked over his shoulder in surprise. It felt right to finally come out of hiding. " There is one water bender, and she sure as hell isn't leaving her baby!" She screamed. The men sat stunned she felt powerful. She was being circled she could feel the snow shift around her. She builds a dome around herself and saw the flame tinge her water brilliant orange.

"Anaka, hide!" Her father yelled. As he ripped open the armor of a fire nation soldier. He raised his hatchet and struck deep into the man's chest plate. Anaka heard, saw ,and miserably felt the crunch reverberate around her along with all the other sounds of war all around her. The man's body that once was young and nimble fell limp at her father's feet. He may have been old, but it did not count him out on being a great fighter. He ran and rejoined the battle before her tackling away another of her mother's many opponents. Anaka could not have helped, but her eyes met the gaze of the dying man. His eyes screamed unfathomable pain to the young girl before him. It was like he was crying for his mother. His eye welled with tears, and the cavity of his chest oozed out red, dying the snow. His eyes which were once vibrant embers were now dim with acceptance and fatigue. Anaka sat stunned and watch the life fade from him. She looked up to see her mother fighting off three men. She didn't want to look back at the corpse of a man anymore, she was sure he was still bleeding from his chest.

She stopped her foot encapsulating one of the men in a high peak of ice. And bended water to grab hold of one and tosses him at the other. She formed to ice spears and aimed them at the men who were regaining their feet. That's when Anaka saw it. One of the other intruders' fell a boy named Tonto, and drew up his sword and ran at her mother. The boy's agony rang in her ears as she rose to her feet and pushed past the mess of moving legs and limbs. It all slowed down in that moment. Her mother stood strong pulling back for the death blow of the two unsuspecting men. While the man drew closer. The flames of the village and the embers from the huts flew by her face. "Mama!" She cried. As the man drew up his sword to deliver a hard blow. Her mother released her spears hitting their mark and turned just to find the man thrusting down his blade. Blood, her mother's blood splattered upon the drown. It was horrible it made a squishy sound that sprayed and gushed from the cut. She staggered to her feat, clutching at her wound. A deep maroon stained her blue clothes. Anaka could see her eyes filled with fire that could not be matched. A hand yanked her back and out of the way of a fierce blast of flame. She tugged out of her jacket and ran hard towards her mother. Her breath was ragged and she cried again. "Mama!" Her mother gazed shifted to her as the man sneered and engulfed her in his flames. That moment, the haunting moment, had always followed Anaka though out the years. She was helpless as she tried to shorten the gap to save her mother. And in that moment her mother only looked at her with such profound love and sorrow that Anaka could never erase it for her memories. "Mama!" She cried and her heart broke. She knew her time with her mother was over. "Mama!" Over and over like a mantra. She made it to the spot and found the remains of what use to be her mother. Charred and slightly red and raw in some areas was the spot where she lay. The men did things around her the red retreated leaving the fallen behind and the others tried to pull the village back into shape.

Young small feeble Anaka just sat next to the pile that once was a person. The pile with several places still alight with flame and snow steeped in blood. The men just left her, with no heart to even pull her away. She felt her coat cover her shoulders once again. She couldn't care. Life passed around her in a blur.

Kaya heard the call of retreat from the fire nation men. She moved about and surveyed the village and found her husband, his face cast down and his shoulders hunched over in dejection.  
"My love!" She ran to him " What happened? What did they come for?" She was worried he didn't look his best. Something went wrong, she had already lost track of her niece. He raised his eyes to meet hers and lifted his right hand. She looked down to find that within his grasp he held a small little coat. "The question you should be asking is not what, but whom" She knew that coat it was Anaka's. she grabbed at hakoda and asked frantically shaking him. "What happened? Where is she? Is she… oh no. She can't." She raised her hand to her mouth and almost sobbed. Hakoda grabbed her and shook his head no. "It's... it's not her. Kaya… it's, your sister." She was angry she looked at her husband. " What happened?" She gritted through her teeth, she grabbed his collar. He told her how they couldn't stop them, that they took down many men and they didn't know. Her sister was the bender they were looking for, even if it wasn't true that's why they killed her. She could figure all of that. "Where IS Anaka!?" She asked.  
" Probably where we left her, no one has been able to move her, let alone speak to her. Since, well since, you know." He looked away from her and shrugged his shoulders pathetically. She grabbed the coat from his hands. "And you just left her there without her coat!" She never yelled. She took off to find her. She knew she was getting closer as the crowds thinned as if avoiding the scene. Then she stumbled into the clearing to find several bodies, many dead but two sat hunched over and crying. One was bigger than the other. Tears glistening down the cheeks and silent sobs escaped out only to be swallowed by the air. The other smaller form sat next to a body who torso was completely charred only the remains the blue heavy winter skirts allowed a person to even tell what once was there was a woman. She approached the smaller form and draped the coat over her. She then sat next to the small girl who every once and a while sobbed out mama. She knew no words would truly help her but she did so anyway. Whether if it was for her sanity, or the girls was no matter at that point. They both fell down in deep sorrow.

It could have been hours, but the events of the day still felt like they just had happened. She sat there and looked up to the sky. She found that frozen tears fell down mourning the loss of life that day. She looked back at the man who had died in front of her. His blood steeped and mixed with others. It was stupid. Look at it. They were all the same, yet all of either side could see were the outer differences. They fought because they came from different places. She felt hand touching her back she turned her attention to her aunt. Kaya bent down and picked her up and carried her to the hut she left earlier.

If I hadn't had left she would be here.  
"Mama!"  
If I had just listened they would have left and everyone would be better.  
"Mama!"  
Every time she closed her eyes she saw her mother die.  
"Mama"  
Why didn't she call my name?  
"Mama"  
Why did she not hate me?  
"Mama"

Anaka her mother said earlier that day as she woke her up  
Anaka she said when she just got a hold of picking up water.  
Anaka she said when she made her first basket.  
Anaka she said smiling like she always did. Her voice didn't sound right.  
Anaka it wasn't her voice it was…

"Anaka" she cousin called  
She awoke crying like she had grown accustomed over the years. She had never truly returned home. She always woke up at her cousin's, well now it was hers, because her old house was no longer.  
My ears burn. Anaka thought to herself. They always did after a night like that. They reminded her of her curse. Her dragon curse.

"Anaka" her cousin came into her room. She paused to take in the scene. She rushed to her side. "Oh, Anaka it's alright you're here, you're safe." She hugged katara tight as if she was her life line to this reality. She was in fact because of those memories her dream would only get worse. She hated reliving those memories and was glad that Katara woke her up when she did.  
She sobbed into her cousins clothes until her ears stopped burning. She felt the cold reminder of days past hang from her ears.

The cold dragon earrings that her father oh so kindly gave her.


	5. One day to start the journey

Authors notes.

So here we are and the main story begins. Song of the sea was that song in chp 2 and here I get to work with the story and anaka. Here her adventure begins. So reiteration the ages fir this story are

Anaka 17, Zuko 17, Sokka 16, Katara 15, Anng 13, Toph 13, Bye

/The cold dragon earrings that her father oh so kindly gave her./

She pulled away from katara to touch a hand to her earrings. The cold burning sensation was almost to normal for her liking. They were dragons that garnished her ears. They had one visible blue sparkled wing and their body wrapped around a blue and purple jewel. Her farther voice eerily floated up for the darker corners of her mind

"Remember, my sweet child you are cursed, no WE, are cursed! And what must we not do?"

"not forget" she mumbled underneath her breath

"What was that?" Katara asked her.

"Nothing." Anaka stood up from the bed and started to get dressed " let's get ready, since were up." They had chores to do. One very important one was breakfast since Sokka had an enormous appetite. Afterward they'd clean and make minor repairs on the hut and help with the village, although that was more Katara's job. Anaka usually snuck away to join the remaining men in fishing or bending practice. She let her cousin have the glory of being the villages first water bender in year but she still kept up with her practices. But there was a difference that she had from Katara. Most in the village would say it was their personalities or their appearances, and views. But it went farther than that. Anaka knew this deeply and well. From the first day she found out. That day her father… enough, she was done with the past but she had to admit the only true difference between them was where Katara's bending stopped at water hers continued with fire. The only person other than herself that knew of this was gran-gran. She was there when Anaka first started to bend fire. That day when she proved to her father that she was the cursed one of the family. That was also the day he gave her her dragon marks. One was the dragon burned into her skin on her back, while the others were her earrings.

They two girls walked towards the small huts kitchen to find their grandmother cooking breakfast.

"gran-gran, you don't have to cook, we can take care of it." Katara protested.

"I may be old but, I can still cook for my gran-babies. I'm not too old to do that. Besides you two need a break. How about I do the chores today and you two go out and have some fun." She diverted her attention for the cooking food to smile at the girl gawking girls.

Anaka stepped forward trying to take the ladle from her hands.

"gran-gran, it's not trouble we can-"

"I'm not taking any excuses today should be your day, and if you insist on being helpful, you can go out today and see if you can rustle up some fish for dinner." The old woman said sternly in a loving way.

A loud yawn erupted and a disheveled looking boy entered the space with his hair sticking up in odd ends and clothes slipping off due to their misplaced state. "ah, when is breakfast goin to be readay? Gran-graan?" Sokka questioned sleepily.

" Oh, so now the prince decided to get his royal pain in the-"

"Ahem" gran-gran warned Katara. She knew how aggravating her grandson could be but she refused to have her grandchildren swear even if they weren't exactly children anymore.

Sokka beamed a grin at his sister not so asleep anymore.

"But, that does not mean you get any special treatment young man." She swung the ladle in her hands at the youth.

Anaka watched the scene and immediately thought it was funny. She had to laugh but tried to stifle it so it came out as a giggle.

Which set off Katara, and soon the ugliness of the nightmares was long forgot as the scene of gran-gran chasing and scolding Sokka amused the two girls.

"You! Don't just laugh help me!" Sokka pleaded.

Gasping in air trying to calm herself Anaka readying herself. "um, gran-gran? Your soup?"

With that their pseudo mother scurried over to her half-forgotten soup and quickly ladled it into saucers for her kids.

After breakfast...

"what!" Sokka shouted angrily ponding into the table. "fishing is MY job, it's for men!"

"whatever is the matter Sokka? They could be of great help if you let them" gran-gran protested.

"Yeah Sokka, and we all know that Anaka gets more fish than you do. You could finally learn from her." Katara said.

"Fine, you two follow me, you get to see how a REAL man fishes." Sokka stated as her beamed pointing to his chest.

"Huh? I don't see a man anywhere." Anaka teased. It was fun picking on her younger cousins, especially Sokka who was just so easy to goad. She laughed heartedly at her cousin's reaction for being only a year younger, you would have thought he'd be a little more mature.

They three young ones went to leave the hut. Sokka lead dejectedly while Kartara laughed and went to comfort her older brother. And when it was Anaka's turn to leave she was held back by her grandmother.

She turned to see her grandmother's eyes asking her to stay just a bit longer.

"Guys, head on without me I'll catch up later. Gran-gran wants to talk." She called out to her younger cousins.

When they were sure they were gone and out of earshot gran-gran finally spoke up.

"This gives you the chance my young minnow, to come clean with the rest of the family."

"What do you mean gran-gran?" Anaka asked innocently

"Do you know I was born at night my child?" ok, now Anaka was lost.

"But not last night, moondance. I KNOW for a fact that there IS more than one bender in the village and in our family." Gran-gran knew.

"I don't want to become the monster they would… do hate." Anaka said with a deep sorrow and pain.

"I know also that that is not the only bending you hold in you." Anaka balked. She had known? For how long? She thought she'd been careful to hide it from everyone.

"How long?" Anaka asked her grandmother.

"Since long before that day with your father." She simply answered.

"So you know, that one day very soon I plan on leaving."

"Yes, moondance. I have known for a while." Gran-gran stated letting the tear flow down her cheeks. It was getting harder for the young girl to continue hiding her bending, especially the fire bending. It was growing harder to control he fire growing from within while keeping balance with the frost and water. Anaka was growing prone to throwing near dangerous tantrums, and passing out dew to the elements fighting and out of sync. Both of the women in the room young and old that the young girl needed to find a teacher to help her if she wanted to live a long life.

uld have gone upstream." Anaka started as she dipped her hand in the cool water.

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing." Sokka stated once again. They had left the hut over an hour ago and still hadn't caught one fish. Both Anaka and Katara rolled their eyes.

"It isn't getting away from me this time. Watch and learn you two, this is how you catch a fish." Sokka claimed for, what? A third time.

Anaka looked into the water a pointed out a fish to katara, who had an idea. Anaka watched as her young cousin slipped off one of her gloves and started to bend pulling the fish from the water with ease.

"I caught it!" she exclaimed excitedly

She smiled at this, her cousin's bending skills had grown so much, she knew that it would be hard, but it would be alright to leave. She needed to go for all their own good.

This, this just made it just a little easier, watching Katara move the water with ease, carrying the fish with it.

"Shh, you're going to scare it away, mm I can already smell it cooking." Sokka grumbled hungrily, you could swear he never stopped eating.

"But Sokka, I caught one" katara explained

She was so engrossed with her cousins catch she didn't realize that the water was growing dangerously close to Sokka's staff.

pop

and the fish went flying back to it home, the sea.

"Aw, Sokka if you just listened we'd have one fish more!" Anaka complained. As much as her grandmother urged her to come clean with her closest relatives she wanted it to remain a secret. She knew for one, Katara would try to get close to her in order to learn as much water bending that she could. Forcing her to stay back and put them all in danger. So she had to sit and steer the canoe and be bored instead of bending or fishing with her younger cousins. Bending because of her secret but the lack of fishing was due to her younger male cousin's hefty oversight. So she sat boredly in-between the two.

But with the fish's sudden departure was the fact the two girls had gained an unhappy wet Sokka.

"Why is it, that every time you play with magic water, I get soaked?" Sokka complained.

"It's not magic water Sokka." Anaka tried to explain

"It's water bending dummy." Katara added

"Yeah, yeah ancient traditions, blah blah blah art of our ancestors, all I know is I end up wet every time you do your freaky weirdness."

At this Anaka had to laugh because she was sitting between a pot and kettle for the moment.

"I would refrain calling anyone weird if I were you." she told the younger boy.

"Yeah Mr. I make muscles at myself whenever I see my reflection." Katara had a wit like no one of the village could believe she had definitely got it from her mother. The excursion had been all smooth sailing up until that point, but then they hit ice sending them into a Jetstream.


	6. when things got interesting

" Ah!" The small raft shook as we were pushed into the rushing jet stream of water. Katana was out point man trying to help start us out of trouble and I tried to water bend even the bigger icebergs away from us. While Sokka tried to steal out boat to safety. A bump sent me out of the canoe and onto a patch of floating ice. Once I stopped skidding and the ice settled a bit I turned to see the ice close in on my cousins. "Left, go left" katana cried but all too late and the water pushed they between two of the I pads and crushed the old thing. Luckily they both had the same fate as I did and were just stranded on a floating patch of ice.  
Adrenaline kicked in and I was both excited and terrified about the past events. How were we going to get back before dark? How would we stay warm if it got cold? What could we say to gran-gran? Oh sorry, we broke the boat. And how in the world did we survive? Many men back home had died to incidents just like this. And we had just enough luck to get out practically unscathed? It was insane.

No time to worry over the little things right now. I have to make sure their ok. I stood up slowly as to not tip the small unsteady platform I did have. What in the blazing blue ocean luck did I have, while my cousins were cozy on their ginormous iceberg a little ways up. My legs shaking from the scare I just had I gauged my options, one jump was way too far, the safer option was in the opposite direction of my family, and the third looked just barely reachable. So I gathered my courage and made a leap of faith.  
"Agh!" My scream rang out as I jumped and not so elegantly landed of the slightly bigger but slippery ice. Ok, now just to weave through to my cousins before we get even more separated.

(Katara pov)

I had lost sight of Anaka when she fell off board while in the chaos I hoped she was alright. But worry set in, as I stood up to assess where we were and hopefully spot my missing cousin. She was like the sister I never asked for but always wanted. And I couldn't forgive myself if I lost her. She was as much of my rock as I was hers. Our lives weren't the easiest, but as long as we had each other it was alright.

" And this I why I shouldn't have brought you girls, cuz leave it to girls to mess things up!" Sokka complained

"And that was left I suppose!" I couldn't hold my anger back. Why should I? He did deserve it and there were a lot of things he needs to get through that thick head of his.

"Well maybe you should have water bended us out of it!" Sokka retorted. Making an obscene gesture of water bending.

"Oh, so it's my fault now is it!" He always got on my nerves and without gran gran here to stop me… he was in for a very rude awakening.

(Anaka pov)

" Sokka, you are the most sexist immature, nutbrained..." well Katara decided to finally let him have it. It wasn't a big surprise cuz this had been bubbling under the surface for weeks.

"I'm embarrassed to be related to you! " by that time I had reached their platform as Katara continued to bug out on depressed Sokka.

"Ever since mom died, do you know who had been doing the chores? Me and Anaka! While you been off playing soldier! And do you even have the slightest clue on how bad your clothes smell?"

"Uh, Katara" Sokka nervously spoke. I mean I give her credit for finally socking it to him.

"She's right you know. Your socks are rancid." I added coolly

"And do you care no!" This time she flung her arm around angrily so much I finally saw what Sokka did.  
Oh boy.

"Uh katara how about we calm down for a second?" I asked tentatively for I knew how she could get, but if this continued we'd have a whole new problem.

"Yeah Katara, how abo-"

"No, I WILL not, be interrupted!" And the ice berg behind her made its final crack.

"Shit." It was all it could get out as it crashed down, while me and Sokka grabbed and secured Katara and held on the ice like the raft it was.

After the wave katara made by accident settled sokka spoke out.

"Ok sis, you have officially gone from weird to freakish"

" You mean; I did that" she said astonished

" Yep, cuz congrats on that" I said with a smile. She had grown very strong and even though that almost killed us I have to say I was impressed.

So I looked down into the water and stared at our reflections. It was pretty obvious that we were related even through the ages and genders. Katara had her long braided hair tucked within her overcoat and her hair loops hung around her ears much like her mother. Her hair was dark and her eyes were a bright blue color like the sky on frost day. Sokka looked like a usual dope with his top knot mess of hair his eyes looked more like the iceberg blue around us. They had the same hair color with their father's big ears. Both cousins had a pointed chin for their genders but katara's was just a tad but smoother.

This is where I looked at my own reflection. It was almost drastically different from theirs, with an odd sense of familiarity. My hair was chopped short letting my soft light brown curls move in the breeze. It wasn't that light a brown, but for the tribe it was just off enough to be considered light brown over their common dark brown. My hair was naturally really curly so it was a pain to take care of so I tended to keep it short, going against traditional ways of the tribe. I really looked like my mother more that my father making me look similar to the two who were next to me. But the one thing other than my odd hair coloring that I most undoubtedly inherited from my father, was my eyes. The cold eyes that often stared back at me when I looked at my reflection were not my own, but my fathers. In truth that was why I didn't like to have long hair was because of that fact, because I felt I wrong to look so much like my mother when I had these dreadful eyes. And to top it off the earrings, the two dragons forever melted into my ears where there as a reminder of the past. How I hated the two twins, forever ensnaring their treasure of blue and purple gems with their blue wings. How it was a cruel reminder of those memories with my father.  
Odd, I thought they didn't glow as I peered closer to the anomaly I realized along with my cousins that the water was glowing.  
And it was getting brighter

Soon enough out raft was shoved away again to make room for this glowing iceberg.


	7. When first impressions do matter

Authors notes

Sorry about the delay guys had to not only mull this part over for a while but I had to get caught up with school and transferring stuff. So here is an extra-long one.

I don't not own avatar or the characters just my personal views and my personal character Anaka

/Soon enough out raft was shoved away again to make room for this glowing iceberg. /

(Pov Anaka )

"Well that's odd?" I said

"Yeah, it's not every day you get to see a giant glowing iceberg that your freak of a sister pulls from the deep water while fishing" Sokka sarcastically answered.

It was a wonder about how many faces and gestures he could make in a short phrase, also how he never got beat as much as he should.

Katara was the only silent one mesmerized by the glowing ice.

" Well sorry for ruining your trip, right cuz" I said with sass as I placed my hand on my hips preparing for a inevitable battle with Sokka, my idiot cousin.

"Huh? Katara looking for back up here..." I trailed off after trying to get her on my side, my sight was now on the ice which encapsulated a strange set of dark figures. One was something I had never seen before like a big amorphous blob, and the other it looked no bigger than a boy. Only it had glowing arrows on it. I knew from Katara's face that she saw it too.

Then the small figure opened what looked to be his eyes and Katara went into action.

"He's alive guys, we've got to help him!" She grabbed Sokka's club from his back and ran towards the eerie glowing orb of sorts.

"Katara come back, you don't know what it is! It could be dangerous!" Sokka called to his younger sister.

" Well we can't just stand here, we have to help her" I said as I ran no sure if I wanted to release what was in the ice or not but I was certainly going to protect my family no matter what was going to happen even if Sokka was going to just stand back with his mouth open, gaping like a fish.

" Wait!" Sokka cried out, it seems like he gained enough of his sense back to deem it worth to risk jumping across the ice bridge to protect us.

By the time I had made it across Katara was already striking with all her might at the ice wall before her with her brother's club.

I tried to talk her out of it while she continued to strike at the ice. "Hey cuz, not that I don't think you're wrong to want to help, but maybe we could-" and with that the ice broke letting out a blast of air.

I had to admit for a moment I was almost laughing at my other cousin who had barely made it onto the ice almost fell into the water from the sudden wind gust.

"So Sokka, I thought you were a master of the ice." I smugly stared as he tried to regain his footing.

"Just shut up already Anaka, we've got bigger fish to fry!" Sokka retorted

He was right because that blast had also released the so called glowing lights got to shoot up in a beam that darkened the sky around it making it look light the celestial lights.

(Pov Prince Zuko)

This was not the first time we had come down this way on a search for any sign of the infamous avatar who had eluded capture for years despite my family's far reach and power.

Another day I would go up upon deck while my uncle would play his useless game against himself while he preached about being calm, deep breaths, and whatever knowledge he deemed relevant to my education.

I was on a mission. Did he not understand this? I had to find the avatar to regain entry to my own country which my father had banished me from. My honor was on the stake for this. I was desperate for a break even the slightest thing would put me in a better mood.

Then a bright blue beam shot out from nowhere

"Finally, " I muttered to myself

I turned to my uncle who was in his usual spot playing a game that was meant to be played by two.

" Uncle do you know what this means?"

"I won't be able to finish my lovely game, just when I was winning too." His answer baffled me as to why, he couldn't be winning, as he was playing himself so I dismissed his oddity as I had often done over the years.

"It means my search, it's about to come to an end." I said with a burning hope which I was close to thinking had burned out over the many years of continued travel due to my sentence.

My uncle, the old man only sighed at my statement "That light came from an incredible source of power" I argued, pointing in the light direction for my uncle to see. " it had to be him"

"Or it's just the celestial lights? Zuko, we've been down this road before" he said tiredly " You may be a prince, but there is still a lot you must learn" his advice was getting on my nerves, after all this time he could easily blow off my one and only opportunity to go home!

" Enough about patience! I will find the avatar with, or without you!"

I stated angry as the fire within my veins burned up as I let out the steam with flames that licked at my palms and fists.

" I just don't want you to get too excited over nothing, why don't you sit and relax with a nice cup of warm jasmine tea?" My uncle calmly said.

That was he last straw

"I don't want and tea uncle, I need to capture the avatar! Helmsman, head a course for the light"

(Pov Anaka)

As the chaos calmed down we looked toward the center as best we could due to the lights brightness and on the new peak of the once giant ball of air I guess, climbed up and out, the small boy which I could now see did in fact have glowing arrows on his body. Sokka be some means had come to the front of our small trio with his spear pointing toward the approaching boy.

"Stop " he cried out trying to be aggressive toward the other worldly being.

Than as suddenly as it started the light dimmed out of existence and the boy's arrows stopped glowing and where he once was standing with raw power and confidence he slumped over and slipped down the ice, and into katara's open arms.

He was odd looking, and that was just the beginning. He seemed to have those arrows all over his body and they weren't just weird glowing arrows that only were visible once but actually tattoos. So they were a light blue, and his clothes were an odd mix of orange and yellow with brown boots upon his feet.

Sokka being as he was, started to poke the unconscious boy with his spear. At least it was the dull side.

"Do you have to-do that?" I asked my idiot cousin who bore and inquisitive dumb look on his face.

Apparently Katara shared my sentiments, as she also gave him a funny look with her eyebrows raised in question.

When she got fed up with his childish act. She yelled at him to stop as she maneuvered her hold on the boy to become in between the two and held him very protectively. Her blue sky eyes glared daggers at him.

Then the boys started to wake making goals as if he was just awaking from a long nap.

His eye opened and to my surprise weren't the blue that I had been expecting, due to the light show that had just recently occurred. His eyes were a greyish brown that were unique, and he stared into katara's eyes like she was the most beautiful thing on the polar ice. It would have been romantic if a me and Sokka weren't there and Sokka kept his mouth shut for once in his life.

" Whoa buddy, back off she's my sister and you're going to have to go through me to get her!"

I punched him in his arm knowing a slapping on his heard wouldn't work.

"Hey"

"Shut up! The boy just woke up from being trapped in ice. He should look at us like that for saving his ass!"

Obviously the boy and Katara could not have been bother by the antics behind them. The boy opened his mouth and his voice came out soft and guff as it could be for a prepubescent boy could have.

"I need to ask you something?"

Katara leaned closer she was ready to help with anything. During the time in the village after the last fire nation attacks and now she had become one of the few better healers within the village with the exception of me and gran-gran.

"What?" She asked gently

"Please, come closer" the boy beckoned.

I was physically holding Sokka back now

"You stay away from her or I will... Anaka let me go this loser needs to know his place and why he CANNOT have my sister"

"Sokka please just clam down" if that boy didn't finish his request soon I was going to lose my feeble and ever weakening hold on my young male cousin.

"What is it?" Katara asked still not bother by the bickering that me and Sokka were having.

That was when he asked the thing that no one was prepared for.

"Will you go penguin sledding with me?"

"What!" I yelled in utter astonishment

"So you're not trying to date my sister?" Sokka ask while scratching his head.

Katara heard that and quickly balled up some snow and slammed in dead square into his unsuspecting face.

I could not help but laugh which in his mind declared me as the perpetrator.

His anger was quickly replaced with skepticism as the boy somehow without effort floated up and righted himself without assistance or strain as if he was carried by the wind.

"What is going on here?" the boy asked as he tried to get accustomed to his surroundings.

"We were just about to ask you that" katara explained

"Yeah boy wonder how is it you were in the ice?" I asked

"Is not one going to question why he is not solid ice right now?!" Sokka bellowed.

" I don't really know" was his nonchalant answer

Then a loud and very audible growl rang out

"Appa!" The boy screamed as he scrambled back up the slop and down the other side.

We came around the side to find him affectionately hugging a huge beast of sorts.

He seemed to be trying to coax him awake.

" Aaah" was the only thing the male of our once trio could say as his jaw fell slack as he was astounded by the beast. But he was not alone in the gawking, as me and Katara did the same just without the verbal.

Then the beast licked the boy and for a small second I was afraid that he was about to be eaten but with the boy's gleeful laughs I was put at ease.

It's strange six legged beast had similar markings in his fur that his master had. And he had big horns and a beaver tail looking thing.

Sokka seemed to be the only one who was able to speak at this time and decided to voice the question what was running through all our minds.

" What is that thing?" Boy, Sokka's skepticism was at play today.

The boy seemed not to be bother by my cousin's accusatory tone and simply answered with innocent nature

"This is Appa, my flying bison"

"Right, and this is Katara my flying sister. And our cousin Anaka who breaths water." His sarcasm was thick on that one.

Both me and Katara pushed him out of the way

" Don't mind him" I started

And the bison sneezed covering Sokka with a hefty coat of snot.

Boy, would that be fun cleaning later I thought.

Sokka proceeded to try and rid as much snot from him by try to wipe it off on the snow below him.

"Don't worry about it, it will wash out" The boy stated calmly as Sokka tried to remove his hand from his face with a glob of snot still attached. Got to admit it was really gross I was glad I wasn't cover in it.

" So do you guys live around here?" The boy asked.

" Yes we do, and don't mind my sarcastic brother over there he's-"

" Don't tell him anything more Katara, in sure he's a spy for the fire navy " Sokka accused

Now it was my turn

" Oh yeah, he's sooo evil Sokka just look at him, he definitely had the looks of a top notch spy. Don't you think Katara?"

And the boy flashed what I could only assume was to be a dashingly cute smile.

" As I was saying the paranoid one covered in snot is my brother Sokka."

Sokka gave a curt wave.

" So now you know our names but you failed to mention your's. So what is it?" I finally asked.


	8. we fond the last Airbender?

"So now you know our names but you failed to mention yours. So what is it?" I finally asked. /

"Come on Sokka " I said as I hoisted myself up on the fluff ball

 _Flashback  
The realization dawn on the group. And the boy answered.  
" Oh my name is -a-a" he started to breath heavily like Sokka when he sleeps except his head kept reeling back as he tried to hold back his sneeze.  
"ACHOO!" Was the last thing he said before he shot up like a firework into the air._

 _Me and my cousins were shocked as we tried to follow his flight until he became a small blip before he made his return decent back to us. I know for a fact that Sokka's face must had looked ridiculous but all I know was that I was mixed between awe, impressed and utterly terrified. I couldn't help but question what we had unknowingly gotten ourselves into. Oh, gran-gran was not going to be happy. The only one in our group that was handling this ok other than the giant fluff-ball was Katara._

 _Well she was the mother figure and unusually calm one of our trio. And the boy made his grand entrance by conveniently landing on the inner curve of the ice and sliding to his original position announcing his name like nothing happened.  
"I'm Anng." And he swiftly wiped his nose with his right hand._

 _Sokka was bewildered much like me, and Katara's face was a bit impressed, but otherwise unreadable.  
" Um, forgive me if I'm wrong but you flew when you sneezed. That's like impossible" I said trying to make sense of the boy's strange ability._

 _Sokka more bluntly stated " You flew like 10 feet in the air. " as he pointed upward as if to make his already blunt statement even more clear._

 _" Really? It felt higher than that." Anng our new companion said unaffected by what he just did._

 _And then Katara said what I had been fearing for a while. "You're an air bender!" I had thought about type possibilities but I was hoping it wasn't the after all they died out a while ago breaking the cycle of life causing the Great War. If it was true we were in deep shit if the fire nation found out about anng. Katara got a gleam in her eyes as she stared at the only other known bender in her lifetime._

 _" Um, Katara what do you think you're doing" I whispered into her ear as she looked at Anng. "Do you see I have a chance to master my bending if I can just convince him" I was about to counter but I knew that she wouldn't give up until she had her way. She was stubborn like that. And I figured it was best to hear it from the source that it wasn't possible to learn the way she was hoping to. I just hoped the kid could do it easily._

 _"Sure am!" Anng confirmed my suspicions. I had a feeling this would most definitely change our lives._

 _" Crazy light shows, air benders a giant snot monster... yep definitely midnight sun madness" Sokka was clearly in disbelief._

 _I mean I can't blame him we did just experience a lot in what was, what a few minutes._

 _" And I suppose you're going back home to hide in your tower playing warrior?" I asked him._

 _" That is exactly what I am going to do" he said back before making his way towards the edge of the ice only to realize that we had floated away from the ice patch and were so to speak. Stranded._

 _" Well if you guys want a lift, me and Appa could take you home?" Anng offered_

 _Oh did that sound great. " we'd love a ride, thanks" Katara answered  
" Sameness, thanks kid" I joined in_

 _Anng kept upon Appa and turn to help Katara up. Which bring us back to now_

 _End flashback_

" I don't know about you two. But I am definitely not riding that fluffy snot monster" Sokka protested.

" Oh and I suppose you're hoping some other monster will come along and give you a ride home? You know, before you freeze to death" Katara wittily said with sarcasm. We both knew that there was no arguments to be made from that. And on he climbed onto Appa's back where we situated ourselves within his saddle.

" Ok first time fliers, hold on tight" Anng announced as best he could while holding back on his excitement. He looked back at us and I could see he lingered more on Katara than I or Sokka from our group.  
"Appa Yip, yip" he cried as he whipped the reigns and Appa jumped into air after using his tail to catapult.

The excitement to fly was intense until we landed in the water and appa began to swim " wow exciting" my young cousin whooped sarcastically. I elbowed him and got another fight " Hey! Why? Anaka, he clearly lied"

" He might be tired I mean he just woke up! And hey be nice to the kind person who is giving us a ride home since, I don't know we don't have a canoe anymore!" I yelled as I slapped him in his head.

" You're not the boss of me!" He protested. Oh here we go. " In fact I am the boss I am older, and even though I am a girl you better damn well respect me!" I yelled at my pigheaded cousin.

Katara knew to keep out of it and she motioned Anng to follow suit. " Once he's all good and rested he'll be flying in the sky in not time" Anng assured us. He then had a goofy smile he cast on Katara. At first she smiled back but as the smile continued she gave him a questioning look.

"Why are you smiling like that?"  
" What I was smiling at you? Huh didn't even notice. Weird" Anng tried to play it off. I had a feeling that this was the beginning of a relationship with the two of them.

Pov Zuko

"I'm going to bed now... ah, yes a man needs his rest if he is to be at his Best" my uncle tried to encourage me to follow. " You need sleep my nephew, because even if you are right and the avatar lives. You won't find him. You father, grandfather, and great grandfather all tired" he implored.

"Well I have something they didn't" I answered as calmly as I could with the fire in my veins raging. " my honor hinges on his capture where theirs did not, so I WILL find the avatar. His hundred years in hiding are over"

Author notes  
lol I just love cliffhangers that and it is late at night but I needed to write this. Anyway here are their ages again Anaka 17, Zuko 17, Sokka 16, Katara 15, Anng 13, Toph 13 Bye


	9. The final stages

Katara pov

I had driven us back home once I realized that our original driver had fallen asleep he looked to peaceful to wake up and god knows he needed it. Appa or the snot monster as my idiot brother calls him was easy and very kind to my novice skills much like he could read or understand where he had to go without much of my assistance.

So I had told the village about him already not that there was much to tell other than he was an air bender and our village was really small being it only contained women and children now. They looked at me like I grew a head so I told them to get up early to meet him and see for themselves. Anaka had helped him into a tent of his own and Sokka helped him get ready for the night as I was told. But who really knows what happened due to my brother's skepticism and idiotic character. I helped make dinner and clean the rest of the snot off of his clothes.

I was ready to show my village the newest arrival so I walked my way over to his tent. Anaka was getting a much needed rest after her nightmares so I slipped some Passion flowers in her tea in order to calm her and let her get some rest.

When I opened the flap I was Anng's back had the arrows continued covering most of his body. I assume it was an air bender thing. "Anng, everyone is soo excited to meet you, I can't keep them waiting"

When he had finished fixing the last of his clothes he followed me to the center of the village.

"Anng this is the village, village this is Anng" and he bowed respectfully. The looks he was given made him question his appearance. I did tell them what he was, but I guess words meant nothing to them so they gave him awed and confused stares.

"Did Appa sneeze on me?" He questioned.

"No one has seen an air bender in a hundred years" gran-gran stated. She was the head honcho around here and had the most wisdom without her there were winters I don't think we'd have survived. "We thought they were extinct until my grandchildren found you"

"Extinct?" Anng looked in disbelief

"Anng meet my grandmother" I was going to take it slow in him it seems like this is a shock. Just one small thing at a time.

"Call me gran-gran"

Sokka rudely grabbed Anng's staff from his hands like always, he never got the concept of personal space or property.

"Was is this? You can't stab anything with it! It's such a waist of wood."

" it's not for fighting" Anng said casually  
"It's for air bending " he air bended the pole back into his possession. And with a small effort he transformed it from a plain staff into a weird giant kite of sorts.

Some of the young village members started talking of magic

"It's not magic its air bending" anng explained calmly. "It lets me control the air currents around my glider so I can fly" so his staff was called a "glider" at least I knew what to call it after that.

"That last time I checked humans can't fly" which for once Sokka was right even though he was still trying to pick a fight with anng. At the moment I was sort of proud of my brother.

"Well you better check again, cuz watch this!" Anng said excitedly as he positioned himself and took off into the air. I was amazed.

Then he flew into the tower that was very poorly constructed by his pain in the but idioticness and I felt so worried. Both me and Sokka ran over for different reasons I got anng and his safety and my brother, well for his tower.

Anng seemed ok and I voiced my astonishment  
"That was amazing"

" Great you're an air bender Katara's a water bender together you can both waste time all day long" Sokka was clearly unhappy as some of his tower fell into him.

"You're a water bender!" Anng sounded so excited I almost felt bad for having to let him down it wasn't like I wanted to I just was soo new to it I couldn't just straight out claim something that I was not.

"Well, sort of, but not yet"

Gran-gran called me over it was time to start the chores and there was no avoiding it.

Anaka pov

I had awoken like I always did in a painful way with my scars burning and the voice of my father ringing in my ears again. It was always like this; it had never changed over the many years that time had passed. I had Katara come in to comfort me like she had grown used to doing. It was early and before sunrise again and she still was doing so much for everyone else I wondered if she even had time for herself. But I did need to have something to shake away the echoes from my mind and the stench of burning skin or the cracking of ribs or bones elsewhere. It was in the past. I still feel bad for not elaborating on what scared me to katara but I didn't think she needed to know why my father had disappeared or what had happened after my mother her aunt died.

She left and made a small breakfast without needing to ask she knew this one was bad I had awoken and had been visibly shaken by the nightmare. She also made some tea. I could smell the Passion flower she put in it but I made the effort of fake drinking it so she could rest her mind for a little until her brother woke up and the day began. She was soo excited the night before about Anng. She needed this day to go well and I was not going to help. So I feigned sleep and closed my eyes and calmed my breathing until I knew she would think I was asleep.

 _The previous night_

 _Me and Sokka were charged to help get Anng into a tent for the night since we had no room in our hut for him._

 _So I had help setting up the tent and when that was done Sokka was to get the mats he stared to complain. " why are we being so nice to the spy? We should just tie him up and set him a sail for his people to find."_  
 _" and who are we to thank for getting us home Sokka?" I pointed out_

 _"Um"_

 _"Exactly. Now go get his bedding please."_

 _That was when me and Anng finally had some alone time_

 _" you know you move like a bender" Anng said startling me as I though he was asleep._

 _" why would you say that?" I asked curiously l wanted to make sure he hadn't figured anything out._

 _"Just in your movements especially when you were arguing with Sokka earlier it was like a fire bender but not. I guess and with katara you moved like a water bender easily soothing and smoothing out her anxieties in a way that kind of stood out to me. But it could just be my imagination" he said with a goofy grin while scratching his head._

 _And this kid was smarter then he looked. But I guess he probably had more experience than anyone from our village. But still the kid was anything but dumb. At least he still had no idea what I was._

 _"Well I guess your mind has gotten away from you cuz I am no bender" I tried to play it off casual " I'm just simple me. It's probably just because your tiered" and with that Sokka returned with the bedding_

 _"Good you're awake I was starting to think that I would have to do everything!" Sokka exclaimed_

 _I could help but role my eye at him only Anng saw this. And he giggled " of course I did nothing Sokka "and I made a small patch of ice right in front of him. I smiled as he yelped as he fell throwing the bedding in disarray on top of himself._

 _"Serves you right for being a sticky but" I said grabbing the bedding from him. I turned to Anng and said " don't worry I'll help you set up Anng and the boy behind me can go home and eat some food, he always gets so cranky when he doesn't eat."_

 _As Sokka was amping up to fire a comeback his stomach made my point for me._

 _"Fine, I'll go back not like I wanted to help the lying fire nation spy"_

 _Me and Anng shake our heads and continued to do our work._

 _End of flashback_  
When I was sure that katara had left the small hut. I slowly got up and creeped out of my room. I thought I was being sly when gran-gran caught me.

"Off to practice?"

"Yeah" there was no point in lying to her

"So when are you leaving?" She asked as she held up my sacks of provisions that I had carefully been handing away. All I could think was busted. She knew and by the looks of it she was devastated.

"We knew it was going to happen, have for a while." I trailed off.

"I know, I just thought you would be more open with me at the very least. With your cousins now infatuated with the air bender and you leaving I don't know what to-do. "Your mother and her sister were never this confusing. I just wanted to help you and at least be there to say goodbye."

I turned to leave I didn't want to face it. It was to real now seeing the implications of my departure. But it was getting harder to find excuses to go off and bend and even harder to keep my powers at a time to leave was coming and with Anng there I felt that Katara and Sokka would somehow be ok

"Within the next few days I guess" I mumbled before darting out the doorway to my old fire navy ship. It was the one place I knew I couldn't be caught at due to the villagers not liking it.

I didn't look back but I felt that just that simple answer was enough to make her smile. She also started to pack much more for me and getting be me things I didn't realize until way later.

After running to my hiding spot I made my way towards the waterfront. I had been my own teacher for years with water bending using things I had learned and thought trial and error I had mastered thing via things I wanted to know. So far I could control the water and ice as I pleased. And I could change the surface tension of the water so I could start and move around on it and move myself without walking. I did this by slowly learning how to form thinner and thinner ice sheets that I could maintain and stand upon without it breaking. I had learned to separate water from different things as I got tired from being wet all the time, and drying my clothes by flame was really dangerous due to the fact I usually set it on fire. Now I was going to work on sensing the things below the surface through the water.

As I identified the smaller forms of fish I felt a slight disturbance in their patterns as if they were fleeing something. I felt the sidle ripples of something big approaching. I reach my senses towards it to find a small boat of sorts coming our way. It's whirring engine told me all too well who it was. At first my thoughts filled with dread then I thought about it. If I could just stow away on it, I could very well not have to test my luck at navigating the sea. It was the better shot for me in all honesty and I was not about to let the moment pass me up due to my personal problems and regrets. I realized that this was a blessing in disguise and if I got on it would be a strict shot to a fire bending teacher.

My plans were about to change rapidly so I decided to try and at least hangout with my younger cousins before my trip. God know when I'd see them again.


	10. Final decisions

**I am sooo sorry guys for being soo late on this one. i just got so confused on how to continue the story from where i left off at the last chapter, I got bogged down by school and frustration. But i did find my way after this vaca from writing this and i hope to continue for a while longer with this new steam. I also studied the first two episode alot so much that i though i'd never get off the ground again, but i guess inspiration hits at the strangest time. thanks for staying with me. i also dont have and rights to avatar but my story is my story.**

'Just relax, play it cool, and everything will work out'

hell it was easier said than done. I was about to push forward my schedule by a lot, and to top it off I had to stow away on a fire nation boat without being spotted and without drawing attention to the village upon not giving it away to my cousins and being stalled here in the village for any time longer. Yeah, piece of cake, it's easy to act normal under these circumstances.

"huh" what was I kidding this was going to be a bigger challenge than I wanted it to be. I raised my ungloved right hand and focused my heat of my veins into a small flame. This was as far as I would let myself go after the multiple failed attempts of controlling the ever hungry flickering flames. The last time I tried without being to scared of what I could do was breakfast many years ago before Katara could managed to get up that early.

I remember losing control, and fire blazing burning fire, destroying the food. It was wild and out of control, I remember that day I had almost killed gran-gran. I played it off like I had accidently dropped some grease into the fire. But I guess she had figured out what I did. It started out so simple. I relaxed and focused on my breathing and I made a simple flame that extended for my pointer finger. Then I focused it onto the wood I had already collected within the fire pit. I tried to igniter I but I still didn't understand what kindle was used for so after a few failed attempts at lighting it I got angry. And the angrier I got the more the flame grew, I final got some success but after a while again I grew angry I couldn't cook as well as I wanted and without realizing it I sparked the flames higher than needing to. I caught my sleeves on fire. I felt so scared I tried putting it out, gran-gran rushed in and put them out to turn her face towards the monstrous flames of our makeshift stove and how they danced violently around. She grabbed a blanket to smoother the beast but she almost got burned in the process. After that I never really felt the same about my ability again. I remember hoe the flames would reach out trying to eat us and how the heat felt almost skin melting.

Shaking the memory away I made my way back to the village. Slowly, I wanted enough time to get my nerve up and be able to act like nothing was wrong.

"Penguiiiiiin" ok what the hell? I swear that sounded like fly boy for a sec. I could see the village come into view along with a strange orange blur speeding towards penguin peak.

I could help but laugh, "I guess he gets to go penguin sledding after all" I looked at his path and though of where exactly he'd be going. It was going to be the longer root. But I don't think that kid would mind in the slightest.

I made my way towards the training grounds to see Katara leave heading towards the short cut. They'd arrive at just about the same time. So what mattered. At least I wasn't going to have to lie to her anymore. She would be able to smell my deceit for a mile. But at least I could get in a innocent quick by while she was distracted.

"Katara! Don't go off and have too much fun without me ok?"

"wouldn't dream of it!" she yelled back. She would never know how much that meant. Or how we wouldn't be seeing each other at dinner that night. But I wasn't going to get all misty eyed now I had some but to be whooping. Specifically, Sokka's.

"so, snot mouth how is our small group of valiant warriors coming along?"

"first of all they are not ours, they are mine, and they would be in better shape if you girl would just leave me to the training! Girl should not fight, it a man's job"

"and if we left all the training to you, all everyone would know how to do is get their ass's handed to them."

"you, how-"

"-about another sparing lesson? Sure, I mean if you're up for it? I thought you were still hurting from last time?"

Sokka rubbed his but where I had landed a solid kick in from last time

"men, this will be a fine lesson in combat!" Sokka announced to the young kids. I swear one of their mothers better tell him soon that he was just being used to babysit them so their mothers could work in piece.

'Alright a good farewell for this idiot, and a brush up on my skills, who'd a thunk? Any way no bending at all this round. I got to know how good I am without it, and I can't keep depending upon the idea that I will be fighting idiots who wouldn't notice my bending. I got to be able to fight with AND without my abilities.'

We began to circle each other sizing up our movements. Patient I must be patient and find his weaknesses. There his step was off by a second I could us that. Ill divert his attention with a punch to the face and sweep his feet out from under him. Just few more seconds and I could launch my attack. "show no fear!" lotuki cried, damn it! His just ruined my plan. Sokka was now aiming a full frontal assault. Well at least plan b was always just improvising.

He aimed his attacks, mainly his fist aiming at my head for the most prat only gabbing and kicking at my waist up, in a series of combos he had learned which made it predictable to avoid. He was a textbook kind of guy when it came down to it. But if I wanted a real fight I just had to piss him off. He didn't want to hurt me. So I just danced around his half felt attacks just out of reach enough to start picking at his morals. I needed him to be ingenious and unique, for once I needed him to be him, I needed his own style of challenging my thinking. Because when he did that he actually could trip me up.

"that all you got?"

"that was a warm up, here come the pain"

he tried a fast punch to the face I grabbed his arm and used his momentum to flip him unto his back. I held fast to his wrist and twisted his arm in. I put my foot at the juncture of his collar bone and pushed down. I was about ready to ask him to surrender when he pulled a him move. Instead of straining against my hold me moved with it making a full 180 to turn and grab my leg with his own he grabbed unto my wrist and I soon found the cold ground on my back as he towered over me.

"never underestimate the enemy."

He started to release me when I shot a hard kick to his chin. And I used my momentum to roll onto my feet.

"what was that about never doing something?"

"shut up" he spat some blood must have gotten him good then.

"make me"

he turned and grabbed his hand made spear and charged, seriously the thing was poorly made and barely did well with fish. But the fact that he was willing to draw blood. That look in his eyes was wild. I out stepped him causing him to fly by. His spear was weak as it was and I could have easily broken it without a sweat. But I wanted him to feel ok, and breaking his toy would have broken him. He swung around and almost took off a lock of hair. Oh so scary. I grabbed the thing in my right hand and then pulled it quickly from his grasp. I shifted it far enough to wear I held the base of it were it turned to bone. I then used the blunt end to poke his dumb ass in the face, particularly the forehead knocking him of balance. I swept his legs out from under him and flip my hold and point the blade towards his soft skin of his neck.

"huh, I was hoping for more of a fight" I handed his staff with glued on blade back and help his sorry ass up.

"if you weren't a girl AND family I would have not held back so much."

"you're scared of gran-gran aren't you?"

"I let you win. Just so you know" he nervously avoided admitting it.

"sure, whatever'

man would I miss kicking his but like this. So simple and easy. But, I needed to go, not just today but at this moment. I could feel the fire wanting to escape. Damn, I felt so hot.

I turned to leave "oi, where the hell are you going? We aren't done!"

"We are done Sokka" keep calm breath, Anaka , just breath. Stay calm and cool, don't freak out. Just be vague and make an excuse to leave.

"How about a rematch, I won't go easy on you this time?" boy that would have sounded great if I didn't feel like a bomb about to burst. He kept going, and my little control was melting. "and-"

"DONE! WE ARE DONE!" I whipped around and I could feel how my body started to radiate my heat and rage. "I am going to start cooking dinner with gran-gran" I stormed off, I wanted to bend him into the snow then melt the outside and freeze him where he laid. I wanted to let out some of my stress, but I couldn't trust that it would be water bending that made it to the surface. 'well go me, I hope he will forgive me sometime in the future.'

I made my way back to gran-gran's. and once inside I let it out, I lost control. Fire and water swilled hectically above my slumped down and beaten body. I watched them in a daze as the fought for dominance. Water overtaking flame, flame burning water into hot steam. Gran-gran walked in, and I felt the pain rush back, it was only a matter of time. I could only go so long before the battle started to rage from within my body. I felt as if my whole world was being ripped apart, my body was on fire and my chest had rip open into a vacuum where I could not breath. Pain pulse though my body like a thundering heartbeat, chaotic as if my body was under attack. I felt my muscles strain and pop underneath my boiling skin. I felt my voice open up to scream which petered out to bubbling whimpers between grunt as it hit the open air. My body failed wildly as I tried to ride out another attack. It was god awful, I wanted to be normal, not a water bender, or a fire one, I wanted to be Sokka, just normal. No power o constantly on the verge of destroying me or special, I wanted his luck. My world was often hell like this. Every breath I managed to gasp in while flailing and convulsing on the ground was painfully sharp and so cold that it caused my lungs to burn. A stuttering cough began, and I began to cough up flames that followed with the strong scent of copper blood. This was only the beginning of the long battle for my life, as I tried to separate the two elements fighting for dominance within my body. I tried to use water to cage my flames, I am scared, of me, of them, of what I can do. I need to find a teacher, I need to learn to control it, to no longer be afraid. Its so hard, I'm alone. My eyes see darkness, while my body is being ripped to shreds, my lungs try to expand as my throat opens to gulp in air to the starving riving body that burns from exhaustion and lack of air. I am drowning in an open of air. I feel the warmth, not of the fire, or the fight, its calm and soothing and bright, its caresses some of the pain away, I can feel its hands holding onto my face. Something hits my face, and another, soon I feel it. It's like salty rain, gran-gran. I force my eyes to open and stare up at her. She is crying for me. My eyes sting from the pain I feel and see within our closed circle. My head is propped up on her lap and her hand rub circles into my cheeks. I grabbed her right wrist for support and flames stared to shoot out. I burned her. She didn't seem fazed as she sat still wanting to be nothing but a rock for me. I cried out. There was a high pitch noise, coming from somewhere, it didn't matter I needed not heal her, to make up for her wrist and her back, I reached out with water and stared to try and sooth the offended skin. I could feel something new, the skin felt like it was knitting itself back together. The pain was starting to go away. Gran-gran knelt over me as she pulled me closer. She was so brave, she was my family, she leaned in close, I tried to speak but my throat was thrashed and it hurt, I guessed I screamed during some part of this one. Tears filled her blue eyes, I cried with her as she said the words

"I guess it's time, for you to leave moondance, I can't imagine how this has been for you to stay and endure such pain without a peep. The world you need is out there, there are people who can help you in ways that we, I can't. you were always meant to travel just like your mother I was just too scared to admit it, and too stubborn to let go. Please forgive me?" she began to sob.

I wanted to assure her, that I did. I never held any animosity against her, or my cousins. I choose to stay this long. I couldn't imagine a life without them beside me, but now things had forced my hand. I wanted to hug her, tell her I would always remember her on my travels, and I would return someday. But all I could do was reach up and rest my hand gently upon her face hovering above me, but that was enough. She leaned into my touch and grasped my weak hand with hers and she held onto it before it fell away, it spoke volumes.

"At least rest before you leave, don't worry about the other two. I won't tell them everything, moondance, I feel you are about to embark on a great adventure which will test you try you and ultimately change you, but I know someday things will make sense to them, and you'll be able to share, but for right now rest. Just, at least let me teach you the song I sang to your mother" gran-gran, oh how I will miss you. I love you, I let my eyes close as her raspy voice sang a hymn about loss, and I drifted off into sleep.


	11. A series of events, by chance or fate?

**I AM NOT DEAD! geeze it took me forever to pick this up again. i started to over worry about the plot plus transferiring schools was nuts. heck i'm still packing for school as we speak. then i obsessed at not being able to capture them like i though they would be. and on on it went untill i almost ditched my story. i felt unworthy to write or do much of anything. but i sucked it up and stop the self hatered and got back to writing. I'm sorry its been soo so long since my last update. but here it is.**

 **i dont own any of the characters but my interpritation and Anaka.**

 **please enjoy!**

Katara pov

After I chased down Anng to penguin cove he begged me to help him catch a penguin for sledding. I pulled out the few small fish on hand knowing due to our constant contact with the birds that it'd be enough to entice them to come closer and be ready for fun and games.

" I will teach you the sacred ways of penguin catching" I mocked my best teacher voice.

And off we walked with our penguins a toe after thirty minutes of begin swarmed.

"So do you want to take it easy or.?"

"Let's go over there!" Anng pointed in the direction of the more intense sledding routes. Well, that answered my question.

"Are you sure I mean it's pretty steep?" I couldn't help but feel antsy I had only done this way once and from what I could recall I sure didn't enjoy it.

"Katara, do I looked scared? Come on! Race you to the bottom." And off he went.

"If you can't beat them" and I jumped on my penguin and raced to catch Anng how got a head start.

"Woo" this is soo much fun, maybe I was wrong. We met up and flew off the cliff and down the tunnel route. "I haven't done this since I was a kid!"

"You still are a kid! " Anng said as we switched leads by each time we launched off or slide through the tunnels.

It was exhilarating as we reached the bottom "beat ya!" I exclaimed

"Only by a hair"

"Ok, now since we've gone sledding would you tech me how to bend?" I mean I couldn't help it he was the first bender I met. I had to ask.

"Sure, but katara. How could I? I'm an air bender?" Well there was that. I felt my ballon of hope deflating until Anng suggested going to the norther tribe for help.

"We've lost contact with our sister tribe a long time ago." I stated the fact the war had not been kind to those of great distances.

"Well appa and I can get you there, by the way what's that?" Anng asked and I followed his pointing to the old naval ship.

Zuko pov

I had been running through basics all morning. This practice was becoming annoying and tiresome. When would I learn the harder and advanced skills? I was doing something a child could do. "Again" my uncle cried. Was it not enough that I was forcing my men to face around my flames constantly on their toes and I ran though repetition after repetition?

I shot out dual flames at my opponents heads as they tried to move on my feet I effortlessly jump still easily bending more attacks at them and landed ready to strike again.

"No, power in fire bending come from the breath not the muscles.." here we go again. Another lesson for the wise man! I'm tried of these training big wheels! I could feel my anger starting to peek again. I know he is in fact more experienced and far more powerful than I am but does he really need to do this every time! I have improved greatly and I need to be able to capture the avatar.

"The breath becomes energy Zuko. And that energy in the body which extends past your limbs and becomes fire" he blasted a flame at my direction close enough to feel the burn but with so much control I was not even in any harms way. He would never hurt me. Unlike my father. Ever since that day I never flinched away from pain by flames. Uncle needs to trust in me more. He taught azura higher techniques way before me, I'm not a kid.

"You fail to understand the basics dill it again and get it right this time!"

"Enough uncle, I have been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set I'm ready."

I stare him down in my demands. I'm not budging on this one I will learn the next steps.

" the sages say that the avatar is the last air bender who has had 100 years to train! I need more that the basics to defeat him"

With my thoughts muddled my uncle sweeps my feet out. I quickly fire at his face. He dodges and readies his stance. I got on my feet and charger him only to not only miss him but to be slammed against the wall . It hurt and it took me a bit to catch my breath.

"No, you are only impatient prince Zuko. Now once you are of a clear mind and cooler head again we will continue your training."

He turned his back on me. Dammit if he can easily take me down how will I complete my task? I felt the anger boil over an I felt the hot flames surge out before I could comprehend what I was about todo.

"Ahh!" And a blast much larger than I had ever thought I could. My uncle quickly took my flames bending them first around his back and then with a single breath burned them higher and bigger than before off the bow of the ship.

"It's nice to see your improvement with your breathing Zuko now again."

Dammit I had gotten no where!

"Now if you do well I might tech you the next step," I could see the glimmer of hope "but before that let me finish my roast duck, a man can only go so long with proper fuel!" My uncle exclaimed cheerfully, it was really a wonder that he truly is one of the greats fire benders of our time. All he seems to do is nothing but relax and eat food or play games!

Anaka pov

I woke up to find all of my things nicely packed and sitting next to me. All of my things as far as I could tell was nicely put together in several bags a duffle and small satchel and a backpack. Gan-gran had outdone herself again. Where was she by the way? I had grabbed my things and reordered my clothes for the track to the ship. I found her ladling out some soup for me in the small huts kitchen.

"Child if you think for one minute you will get going without some food in that belly of yours I will hurt you"

I laughed "like I'd ever skip out on one of your meals" I grabbed the bowl and ate up heartily. By the end I ate three servings and had murmured thank to many times to count. I grabbed my things and put on my good coat and boot and headed towards the door.

"Gran-gran, I'm heading out." I sobbed it was what I usually said before I left for the day.

I just couldn't bear to think that I might not return.

"Child you better plan on coming back with more than just stories like that foolish mother of yours!" She always knew what to say didn't she? She knew that no matter what I'd somehow return home. And until then I'd carry the memories close to my heart thinking of her always.

"Bye gran, when I come back I definitely will have gifts for you and everyone. Not to mention I'll have my life together" I looked back at her blue eyes and left the hut. I wouldn't be coming back soon but I planed to learn to control my abilities.

(Several hours of trekking later)

"Geez I need to work in my understanding of distance!" Huff "that ship is a lot farther out than I thought!" I was so tired of constantly climbed jumping and trudging through the snow. It had been several hour of non stop walking towards the boat. And it was a lot longer than I had anticipated even with its slow approach in my direction.

About an houror so ago a flare in about the direction of the village, well more precisely the naval ship had shot off. I hope the village was safe. But ever since that the ship had turn on a beeline fire the village. I was both concerned and relived. I hoped everyone at home was safe but I was happy my trekking would be cut short. I didn't feel it would be wise for me to bend my way to the ship. Because if I was caught it would spell nothing but trouble for me if they knew. I also couldn't tell what ship it was other than fire nation due to its engines and if it was commercial I could just ask to hop on saying that I had been shipwrecked and had found the water tribe gear and decided to use it to stay alive. But if it wasn't the plan was to sneak aboard anyway I could and stowaway. Well that was the plan really either way.

I stopped to fix my boot for a second when the ship finally came into view

Katara pov

"Anng maybe we should leave?" I tried urging him. No one was supposed to go here. It was bad, a bad memory for my gran and it represented the end of piece. But here we were in a ship, which could be Bobbie trapped. Some how the let go of fear to be a bender speech actually worked enough to get me aboard this creepy thing.

We had climbed through a hole in the lower decks and started to aimlessly walk the empty halls of the ship. My mind couldn't help be feel scared and start inventing impossible things like ghost or still living soldiers waiting for revenge around each corner. It was just so quite. While following Anng I spotted the armory.

"Thus ship has haunted my people since gran-gran was a little girl it was part of the first attacks." I tried explaining to Anng who seemed very astonished.

"Hold on, this makes so sense. I have friends all over the world some of them in the fire nation. I've never seen any kids no if war" Anng was trying to make sense of things. But, if he'd never seen any strife or war caused by the fire nation,

"Wait Anng how long were you in there? I mean the ice berg." It couldn't be. It was impossible he couldn't have been. Could he?

" I don't know a few days?"

That couldn't be true, I know because the war is about 100 years old. He'd definitely would have known if he'd had only been in that long. Plus he was an air bender, and most likely the last if he was indeed in there for a 100 years. The fire nation would have made sure to eliminate all possible air benders otherwise.

"Anng," I didn't know how to break this to him " I think you were in there for 100 years, it's the only thing that makes any kind of sense"

" uh, katara do I look like a 113 year old to you?"

Ok, great here goes nothing." I mean think about it you don't know about the war at all and this war started a hundred years ago, so somehow you must have been in there the whole time."

Poor Anng when the possible finally reached his head in this light. He kind of broke. He slumped on the ground astonished " 100 years"

"I'm sorry but I hope there still a bright side after this" I wanted to help but I didn't even know where to start. I mean to wake up in a world where most likely everyone you knew was dead. And on top of it the way the world is no longer how you remembered.

"I mean," he piped up "I did get to meet you!"

"Come on let's leave." As we headed towards the door Anng's foot snagged a trip wire.

"What was that about bobbie traps again?" As the mental bars slide down locking us in. It seemed ok until I realized that the engines had started up again. And the whirring lead to a glare being shot up.

"Uh oh"

Anng grabbed my hand and we jumped through the hole on the ceiling and he air bended us to the ground. Once we hit solid ice we ran back to the village.

"So, we never speak about that?" Anng said playfully, it was easy making my anxiety fade a little.

"It's probably not too bad. I mean there should not be any actual ships around to see that. " I hesitated "right?"

Zuko pov

Sitting in the training room I was being forced to meditate and focus my anger and breathing to become a better bender. My uncle by the end of training was still unimpressed by my performance and here I was. Trying to relax and clam my self to control the candle flames

I was to zen to align my inner chi and have the candles burn evenly whilst my uncle took his fine time napping in the corner of the room. His snoring was agitating, and he knew it.

But little did he know that I was determined to prove him wrong.

I slowed my breathing down and relaxed as much ch as I needed. If I was going to do this I'd had to be comfortable, my uncle was not waking up anytime soon.

In out

In out

It was mind numbing, but I had to do this. If I was going to be ruler of the fire nation I needed to be control at all times.

"Zuko" I heard a voice faintly in the distance. I recognized it to be female.

"Zuko" it called out again much louder. I knew who it was"mother?"

I closed my eyes to take in the breathtaking view of the gardens back in the place. Back before she left. I looked to my right to see her sitting there feeding the turtleducks like she always did in the garden that was both beautiful and perfect without a hint of disarray. She was so pretty in the simplest robes of nobility she could have passed for a young nobleman'a daughter, not the fire empress.

"Zuko, my dear come over here"

I ran towards he and climbed onto the bench and stared up at my mother.

"I know your father wants you to be strong. We all do."

Oh so this was one of the days where he pushed me hard at training was it?

"But Zuko, strength isn't all muscles and fire. Or even, power or station. Do you know where true strength lies?"

Younger me shook his head. She laughed not out of spite or anger or frustration. She leaned in close and whispered "strength come from the heart. It is the courage to protect those who cannot, fight for those you love, to be able to lay down your pride to examine a new angle. And the power to love and influence other to want to be better. To make them want to follow you. That is a strength of a truly great leader. Remember this Zuko, you don't have to inflict fear to be great."

My mother had never said that. Had she? I nodded my head although I am sure both me and younger me had no clue what she meant. The only way to get ahead was to look after yourself only. Honor and conquest were the only ways to live. Protecting others, that made you weak my father surely beat that into me.

I looked past her right shoulder to see men. Our guards came with there weapons at the ready. "Mother"

Don't worry my sweetest we will meet again" she assured me and gave me a weak smile. A sense of dread washed over me. I felt that she would never be back if I let her leave.

Before I knew it two of the six guards were at my side holding me back.

"Fire empress ursa you been convicted of treason, it is our duty to bring you to your trial and judgment"

"Lier! Mother would never!"

"Hush, young prince!" I felt a slap across my face. I turned to see the towering figure that was my father. "You will learn your place" he spit as he threw a punch at my face with burned because he gave me my scar back. My mother shrieked in Antony as she watched helplessly from the right holds on the guards. One raises his Barton and hit her across the head her body went limp and fire crept along my vision.

" mother!"

I opened my eyes to find that I was not a child but myself again sitting in front of raging flames from the candles.

So much for the training.

A kick sounded at the door.

"This had better be good!"

I wanted to get back to training as soon as possible.

"My prince," the man fumbled"there is something that you should see. There was a distress signal from a fire nation ship.." for the love of, he really thought that was important enough to disturb me with?!

"If it's not related to the avatar I don't care!"

"But, sir we are in the area around where the light source was."

With that I immediately rushed to the deck. I immediately saw the flare

"Get me a spyglass now!" I couldn't let this pass I had to follow the trail before it faded. I felt the spyglass's weight as it was placed in my hands by one of the newest members of the crew. His hand left it tremblingly. No matter. I snatched it quickly and raised it as quickly as possible towards the flare.

I followed it down to see and ancient ship of ours, shipwrecked by the people no less. It stood on a pillar of ice which could have only one cause, and it was not freak of nature accident. It was the doing of water benders. And from the ship a orange and yellow shape of a male body appeared holding a water tribesmen with ease jump up though which I can only assume was a hole and successfully several more leaps to the ice below the ship.

"Quite agile for his old age" it seemed as even though he had very advanced years on him nothing could stop him. I'd expected him to be somewhat grille despite the avatar status.

" wake my uncle!" I ordered my men I focused on the avatar as he ran off in a direction away from the damaged ship. "Tell him I found the avatar." I paused and surveyed the area in which they ran off to. I found a small village surrounded by poorly made snow walls. "And his hiding place"


	12. the twisted fate of two

Hello my readers I am back from the dead.! Ok I had school and moving and I needed time to create a great next chapter. I kinda got a little stuck at what I was doing with this chapter for a while but I figured it out. Heck I even figured out some new twists on the future. But anyway here it is after soo long of a vacation. a supper long chap for my readers! Also just as a reminder I don't own atla nor the characters but what I do own are my personal characters and takes on this beloved story and my view of the original crew. also its well a bit dark. anyway. enjoy

(Anaka pov)

A horn sounded and I dropped down onto the ground and scooted towards the ledge to see the ship. Oh was I happy to see that ship. Warmth, no more snow, time to eat and not worry about freezing. From what I knew the fire benders had a extreme dislike of cold, so the inside was most definitely heated properly. From my ledge I could see several guards on patrol milling about the deck. Nothing a little ice couldn't fix. Create a scene on the other side, and slip aboard and stowaway before I get spotted,oh and hide my bags. I shifted my stuff and slide down the slope towards the ship.

I made it down, and the ship was a little bit bigger than I expected. I mean it was a lot smaller from my snow pile. So I started to panic. 'How many people are on this thing? How can I possibly go unnoticed? Is this a dumb idea? They're bound to notice, or more likely I'll run into them!' No, I cannot panic now, I need a teacher! This cannot be put off. I clam myself and step upon the surface of the water. (Relax it's just a walk through the park) my right foot slips into the water until I refocus. (Ok hard part over now just scooch over towards the ship. I relax and move a bit faster and slide quickly over the water. I move my way over to the ships side quickly and quietly as to not gain any attention. I keep pushing the water along to keep pace with the ship. And I lift myself upwards to one of those slit things that the deck has, you know like the wall and the floor, what ever. I don't care much for ships I just need this for travel. If I need to I'll learn it later. ' I apparently ramble when I'm nervous' anyway time to board.

I peek through the ships draining at the men would patrol around the main structure in group of two and three. I duck down when one comes around.

"Ha, Matsu! You should have seen your face!" The one on the left said he was tall and burly and looked tough.

"Oh yeah Kira! Well I don't think you could have done any better. What happens last week when you messed up his dinner?!" The smallest guard, matsu said

"Now now you two we all know the first few times we encounter the prince he came off as utterly terrifying. And his temper is at its worst when is comes to avatar sightings. It'll all blow over soon, just you wait matsu, then you'll see the kind but confused man we serve." The farthest and medium height slender may build man with a black ponytail hanging out his uniform said as they neared the corner.

"Matsu's Just a wussy!" Kira grabbed and rustled matsu's light brown hair

I picked my target. Matsu seemed like the easy to love and most easily trip-able out of the bunch. Also it appeared that the other two were fond of him, most likely after laughing their ass's off they'd get him help. Also they seemed to be the rowdiest bunch that would cause a big enough screen for me. So I froze a thin patch of ice in front of their path and waited for my trap to spring.

"Ahhh!" And there it goes. I watch as my victim slides across the deck into the deck wall.

"Bwaaha! Ryuu did you see that?" Kira stated

" ow! Fuck you guys!"

"I'll have to admit that even with that take off you still managed to land perfectly" and ryuu stared to chuckle. And more men joined in the shenanigans.

I hoisted myself over the rain and slipped into the door. "Ah, glorious warmth." I sighed clapping my hands over my mouth to silence my dumb self. I can't relax now. I opened now of my bags and stared to search for one of my knifes. And found along the way several more blankets and a few different meals and snacks tucked away along with to satchels of water. Geese gran gran you are too kind. I found my simple knife sand found a vent in the galley and went to work. I could still here the men above laughing at Matsu who was still falling and had been joined by a few more who either wanted to help the lad or to prove that "it wasn't that hard to stand on the ice" and I unscrewed the bolts holding the vent in place.

Plan hide: get in the vents out of sight, and crawl around to find a space to sleep and areas where there is little to no surveillance or traffic.

Easier said than done due to the fact that the vent was almost sealed shut. The damn thing was taking longer than anticipated and my time was running short. I could feel that any minute they'd decide that it was time to give it up and take it seriously. I mean I knew at least Matsu was hurt. I had at least got three of them it the time the fools kept falling down. But this last one seemed to almost be rusted into the wall.

My brow was covered in sweat in anticipation, it felt like I was going to get caught any minute. What the hell would I say. Let alone what would they do to me? Take me prisoner? Beat me? Well they seemed to nice to beat me, but it doesn't mean that superiors wouldn't. I mean being soldiers they must have high orders for situations like this.

"If you have enough time to fool around you have enough time to prepare for battle, not to mention the chores you've all neglected. Like the bathrooms for instance!" A voice boomed from above. The laughter stopped and feet seemed to stay moving towards me. Fuck it I don't have time to do this. I stashed the kinife and pulled off the cap to my canteen on my hip and pulled a bit of water out of it. I slipped it through the vent and wrapped it around the stubborn screw and froze the water as fast as I could and broke it off. I open and shoved my gear within hoisting myself in after. I unmelted my water and added a bit more in order to hold the vent in place while I re-screwed the vent into place. Why the fuck was this easy while unscrewing this was a pain. I turned and started to crawl away from the vent and through the air ducks. I replace the water and grabbed my bags and slid down towards what was on of the center paces within the ship. I came to a stop in a room that could only be a training room. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Uncle, this is the biggest lead we've ever had! I even saw the avatar! He was with a disciple of his at one of our old battle ships!" A young man hair he had a scar on his face and a high ponytail and shaved head. What poor style

(Oh shit, was that someone from the village? Or Katara and Anng?)

"And what was this "avatar" wearing, prince Zuko? A leotard?" Answered the old man calmly drinking tea, clearly unaffected by the young mans outburst.

"He was wearing the garb of a monk! Why must you always patronize me?"

Zuko sounded so exasperated. And his movements robotic. Like he's never relaxed in his life.

"This is about regaining my honor! Uncle, if I catch the avatar, then we can return home."

"It's the journey that counts my boy, boy the destination. I always tell you this and you never listen. How many ports have we stopped at, beautiful sights you missed because you are to focused on that goal of yours? Many people in the world would have killed to explore the world and its wonders that you seem to cast away without a second thought." (Man his uncle should meet gran-gran)

"Ah!, just tell the men to assemble here before we make landfall." And Zuko stormed out the room

"Yes, but what time?, ah that boy needs to learn patience." The man mumbled over his hot cup of tea. And he leans back and stares up at the ceiling. I back away from the light if the vent. I didn't even realize that I had inched in that close.

" ah Rinna, what do you think of me now? Great general iroh, the farther of our son and uncle to that buffoon. Now drifting traveler with much wisdom. Who continues to foolishly tries to fill and sealed cup. What would you make of me now my love?" Sip "at least things seem to be looking quite interesting" whew, at least he didn't see me. It time to make my way away from here. His is definitely not a place to camp out until we leave the south. As I crawl away the broken end of the screw I broke earlier falls through the grate, plunking on the floor below. (Shit) I stop and take a big inhale.

Iroh picks up the broken thing to examine it closer

"Ah, this old girl needs a good fixing if this keeps happening we'll be taking on water instead of sailing! Hahahahaha!" Iroh brushed off the odd occurrence, pockets the screw and walks off.

I crawl off to find my new corner of the ship. I continue my way for and hour or so until I find a room that hold a lot of miscellaneous objects, like a storage room full of junk and weird treasures from all over. It seemed a bit dusty and unused, prefect no one wouldn't le possibly notice if things moved about and stuff. It was a few levels down from the galley and at least one room over and down from the training room. Also this had the easiest access to the vents which I had seemed by now were the easiest ways to travel undetected. That is unless I found their armor then I could just masquerade as one of them. If I found one that fit.

Well time to explore this room to the fullest maybe move somethings and settle in the back area away from the door. I traveled to the front through the maze and found several chests full of clothes from all the different nations and on top of that they all seemed to be dated differently some looked newer and some looked like something out of moms old scrolls. They were not exaggerated they looked a bit ridiculous. Ole this old fire nation garb. Like where did you actually put this thing on? It's had so many layers and why was it not simple it looked like this auburn was the coat and this tie in the back. When I I was fished I looked like I was from a freak show circus where drapes and bed sheets. I found an old floor laenght mirror down a little ways that was a bit dirty framed by golden dragons and water nymphs. On the right corner hung a tiara that was elegant and simple. I put it on and started to pose.

I couldn't help but laugh and twirl around to view my handiwork. Apparently red wasn't that bad on my skin. But it certainly clashed with the blue I had on. "I am princess fire water. I rule the seas and plunder anyone who dare crosses my path. This is my room of spoils!" Man I never really let lose like this. It's funny how after all I did and how my life had been and the situation I'm in I could find fun in something as simple as dress up.

I start wandering through the maze of things I found several water bending scrolls and grab them for my nest. I check my food supplies and see that I can last a few days maybe a week or so before I'll need to start swiping food from the galley on board. The further I went to more dust collected. I found a earth kingdom furniture set and and over turned book case that blocked my way further back. So I placed my belongings on the earth kingdom desk and set my task at moving as much out of my way without to much noise. So I push the bookcase only to find that it was holding several boxes of things, one feather duster clocked me in the head. And with this catastrophe cast the exorbitant amount of dust. I was covers on books and nic-nacks from dolls to brushes and tools and books. (Way to go for silence) but at least I got the bookshelf upright.

"What was that?" (Of coarse someone was nearby how much could go wrong for me in one day.)

"That's my collection of things I use to harder at ports, the priceless things that people just throw away is astounding and useful when you want certain cuts of meat or expensive new teas" oh it's Iroh again.

"Army you worried that something broke?" Was this one of the other men? I couldn't tell

"Well it'd be my fault for the way I store things anyway? Haha! Besides we need to get to the training room before Zuko blows his top." He easily said (boy did he seem to be a lucky charm. It seemed like he knew I was here and made a easy distraction)

(Zuko pov)

I waited as the last of my men filled into the training room. Only one thing was missing my good for nothing uncle. Sure he may be my teacher but that was were I drew the line of affiliation. All he does is spout useless knowledge about tea or drinks tea and eats food! It was grinding on my nerves, maybe next time at port I'll actually get off if only to have a few hours away from him.

"Hahaha, looks like I took a wrong turn everyone had beat me here!" My uncle laughed as he walked in the room. Seriously this was a upcoming battle against the avatar not some silly party.

A chuckle erupted from my men. I shot them a look to silence them. I needed to make my point.

"Now men, the avatar seems to be hiding in what can only be assumed as a water tribe village. While it seems deserted of all men do not be fooled. We will need to be prepared for battle"

"So you called us here for this! Come on we can take on a few water benders. Heck, I've been on way better raids than this!" Chekom Said. He was a brutal man, one I was still unsure of he was famed for his cruelty. I didn't want him in the first place. But he he was anyway. My goal was to capture the avatar alive, not kill him. I'm not one for senseless brutality but I will not hesitate again. Hesitation is for the weak, and I am no longer that. "Checkom, you will remain on the ship. If you dare go against my orders"

"You'll what? Throw me off this ship? Oh yeah that's a big deal! I never wanted to be here anyway. The only upside to this-"

"You will respect your prince! " my uncle stood up. Oh chekom was getting on my nerves, he arrogant bastard if he didn't shut up I would not be able to hold myself accountable.

"Like I could respect the sham of a cast-" and I punch him square in his face. I loved watching him stumble and fall back. "Why I outta-" and I stared to round on him. I felt good. Forget fire the feeling of every hit connect was enough to quell my rage for now. After I finished punching I threw a swift kick to his gut.

"No, check. I'll turn you over to the other generals after I publicly humiliate you, drag your sorry ass through the mud and stop you into the ground! And that's only what I would do. I can't imagine what my uncle will do" I resumed my place next to my uncle in the center of attention.

"Now, back to the original topic." I began before I saw flames aimed at my head. No other than chekom.

"You think you're better than me? You coward! You who always hides behind his dear uncle."

I readied myself for battle when my uncle pushed past me with a calm demeanor only a battle hardened general possessed.

"Now chekom, if you are threatening the royal family in favor or not you are committing a crime against your own people. He paused leaning over him "now are you sure you know what your getting into? After all crimes such as this are punishable by death!" And I watched as my uncle proceeded to aim attack after attack within just a hairs breath away from chekom's face. " you will be in qaritinw with anyone who dose not feel like the way this ship is being run." And with that checkom and his group left the room.

"Uncle at a you sure it's wise to just let them go unguarded. They could-"

"Could run the ship of course, reck the ship. You fail to realize that even a trapped man will no be so ill advised to ruin the one thing that will keep him alive and safe from the cold. No one was so stupid as to destroy their ride home. Also I had the best men on deck and in the engine rooms as to keep from mutiny. We have nothing to worry about now on with your speech"

As always ten steps ahead. "I will need, 6 men with me. I need to make this known that even though we must be prepared to fight we also must not harm anyone unnecessarily. I want the focus of this to be the avatar and nothing else is that understood?"

"Yes sir!"

(Anaka pov)

"Ah" I finished making my nest in the back of the room. I even made a easy stepping to the vent of this room. I had set up next to a wall using various pillows and blankets to make a nest among some dressers the one bookcase was now in a leaning canter against some other bookcase whatcha was much larger and supported by several piles of things. So far I could see that there was a unique pattern that followed through the chaos with slowly documented the times of each nation in a order fire air water earth and never once did it deviate from this pattern. I had a red quilt from centuries ago fire nation seeped over my nest. My stuff I had stashed a little ways down among some water nation section. It was full of things that I recon gran gran would have easily recognized as something from her parents age, I think. She always had a collection of things that were scared to us and some of our traditions, or belong to our ancestors, I never really listened. I wish I had, I had also camped between that and the remanence of the air temples but they were very few and in worse shape for wear. And they were most likely stolen from their homes for some quick cash.

I had also scored some old bending scrolls that I planed to put to some use while I was Stowe's away and while I left and found a teacher.

I decided after all of my harde work to make a comfortable bed and settle into my room for the long weeks ahead that it was time for a nap. But , first I would grab a nibble of something and curl in for a quick nap.

I walked over and hauled out my bags. God these are heavy! Oh and I'm getting to warm for this coat. So I unbuttoned my heavy winter coat and set it to the side. I was wearing my aqua blue light autumn sweater with the purple and black obi belt. I also had my warm blue pants on but I was wearing my heavy snow shoes. So I took those off and dove into one of my bags for more comfortable shoes and fond my autumn boots which were not as warm but they still kept my feet warm. If gran gran could see me now. She would of had a fit that I was audacious enough to leave the hut with only lite layers on. Ah well. I was still alive but I was a bit hungrier then when I left. So I started looking through my duffle. It was the biggest of the bags I brought.

"Now where in the world did I pack my jerky?"

The bag also was a lot heavier than I remembered so I figured if I started there that I'd at least find other things. I had dug down and pulled out two blankets which I added to my bedding when I found a stash of food. I now had several jerky bags along with stewed sea prunes, noodles, and wait a sec I didn't pack most of this? Gran gran, you care too much. I now found that I had all kinds of ingredients some dried some not that I could use to make food from home. And she even had some premise tentacle soup. I also had a small pot and a bowl. I was going to settle with just jerky but I want tentacle soup now. One problem as I continued to search I found no fire starters or heating system of any sort. What the fuck? Damn was the plan to just I don't know slide into the kitchen area every time I wanted to cook a decent meal? Fuck I couldn't do that!

"Now nephew since I have heard of your failing at the simple task I assigned you before. You will do it again." I rig casually scolded the young man.

"Uncle we are to be ready for battle I haven't time for your breathing exercises!" The young man around my age spat back at his uncle. No repeat for elders. So rude!

"Fire comes from the breath not the muscle, you must be in sound mind and spirit to be in full control of the flame. When will you listen." Iroh said.

"Uncle!"

And off they walked down the corridor. Ok breath relax and let's try something. I need to get comfortable with it anyway. It'll go ok right? I don't have anything that can catch fire quick, I hope. Be calm and breath I only need to heat up the soup nothing much. A small flame should be a simple thing. I opened my right palm and took a deep breath.

In

Out calm and steady

In

Out

I focused on my hand. I imagined it growing hotter from the tip of my fingers to my palm.

In

Out

I slowly opened my eyes to see heat rising from my hand. "Ok next step"

In out

Just make a small little flame to heat up my soup. Not too big. And don't freak out.

In

Out

I focus harder and forced the heat in my hand to increase until I started to see sparks which in turn became a small flame. "Y-!" Bad Anaka! You being sneaky celebrating is not good. I can't yell here. I settled for a fist pump and poured the soup into the pot. Step one complete. Step two heat up soup and not burn anything else. Just keep calm. Everything is fine. It's not weird being a dual bender. This fire is under my control. I just need to not let things get out of hand.

I place the pot above my small flame and I start to smell the warmth of home. Well this is going better that I expected. Visions of all my perceived failures flash through my mind. And when I come back it's from the burn from the over boiling soup falling onto my arm. "Gak!" I scramble to remove the flame and cool the soup by quickly saving the rest of it by pouring it into the bowl. "Ah crap." I look down at my seared and irritated skin of my right arm. "Fuck! I spoke too soon" I reach out to touch it tenderly so meet more pain. Not that I wasn't use to burns. I opened my canteen up and grabbed some water from it and gently wrapped it around my slender wrist and focused on healing myself. Without fail the water began to glow. "This brings back memories"

 _ **(Flashback!)**_

 _ **"Ah!" I screamed as my father pushes me into the back of his workshop.**_

 _ **"You little devil." And I hear a crack Ricoh out and the stinging of my cheek afterwards. At least he's not wearing that ring this time.**_

 _ **"You, your the reason! She, shouldn't have died! But you just had to make that happen! Didn't you!" He rambled on.**_

 _ **"Dad! Please?" I whimpered as I back into a corner trying to escape the mad man barring down on me.**_

 _ **"Never forget! Our curse, Anaka. That's why crystal isn't with us! Because of you! If you hadn't been born!" He reals back and hits me sending me crashing into his work bench. Thing topple down heavy metal equipment falls I feel a crunch and cracking of bones in my left leg as one of them falls onto it. I bite back the screams that bubble up from deep within me. He loves it when I scream. But the unbidden tear flow from my sockets and that is enough to fuel his hate fire. I smell the smoke, he's planning to burn me again.**_

 _ **He stands at the fire adding more fuel to it I see the flames dance and it make me cringe. I try to shift the things off of me. I k ow if I make it home he'll stop. He doesn't like going in there sober. It's too much.**_

 _ **"Anaka, I made these especially for you. They will forever make you for what you are!" He turns and I freeze. He walks over slowly and I close my res I know he will hit me. He always does. He's relentless in his abuse. Each footstep slow and calculating ringing loudly within the shed as he draws near.**_

 _ **"Trying to escape, huh?" He snarled. I forgot to remove my hand. He grabs the whip and cracks it across my slender hand. It open a and the sticky substance leaks out from the cut. "I don't know why I do this?" He stumbles back "hahahaha! You always do that thing and erase all my hard work! Hahahahah! But not today!" He glares at me picking up the object that layer on my broken leg. Not that it was hard to break my bones anymore. He barely feeds me anyway. And I swiftly pulls me onto the work bench and flips me on my stomach.**_

 _ **"Today you will leave these as they are because if not" he pauses to bring his first into my abused ligament. And then he leans in real close to my ear. "I will reopen them and redo this until you learn"**_

 _ **"When all else, is darkness. And the way is now lost. Born is the one who alone is water fire. From the ashes the child shall reign. Destiny and destruction are this child's fate. Forever now on, ever from this day. You shall bear this fate. The seed that Undos the tree. Will be the undoing of thee!"**_

 _ **The family curse. The mad man recites to me as he heats up the metal. The taste is palpable in the small shack. Mixed with smoke and blood from my cuts. My body is covered in bruises. My right eye is almost swollen shut. Of course this day is special. It's the anniversary, or her death.**_

 _ **He stalks back over to the table I'm tied down to. He grabs the hem of my shirt as rips it back revealing my back which is only I scared due to the trick I learned a bit ago. I normally use it to heal my injuries because I can't keep up the ruse around my cousins. So it's easier to say I tripped with bruises, not that I know how to fix them I can remove the gashes and fix bones but the bruises remain.**_

 _ **"I'm sorry sorry" the man above me states with glee. "This my dear will hurt. Terribly so!" And he take a rod out of the flames. It's bright orange heat radiating outwards to my unmarred skin of my lower back. And then he pressed down forcing the metal to brand my skin. I feel a scream ripped from my small body as he continues to talk.**_

 _ **"Do you feel it? (Press) what is this? (Press) your finally singing! Yes, scream more! You monster! And then the pressure it released and the pain of burning is introduced to the cold air. "Now you really are dragon marked. But if you think we're done you are so wrong!" And he returns to the fire.**_

 _ **"Theses were originally meant for her. But you murdered her, your own mother. So now you should always carry that with you." I'm going to throw up. The smell of my flesh and pain are getting to my head.**_

 _ **"Daddy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be-"**_

 _ **"Didn't mean to be what?! A freak! The curse itself! To bad! Crystal was my only light. I should have never made you." He rips the ties off me and starts to strangle me, "don't worry my beautiful little monster. Death does not await you today. But this does and he pulls up an earring with the same glow the dragon branding did. And slowly he burns and slides it into my small earlobe while he cackles maniacally. I can't feel the pain anymore. My throat hurts and my body convulsions as I become drenched with sweat. He clampdown on the other end when it makes it through my ear and melts it into my skin. My mind is elsewhere gone and I'm glad for it. I know I've given him the shell of a body that will give him all the screams he desires until he is fed up. But until then I'm in my forest. I can tell because it's green and it's safe and warm there. I learned about them while mom was still alive.**_

 _ **"He's at it again?" A voice come from from behind me**_

 _ **"Aermayl!" I happy sang as I ran toward the woman with purple hair and glowing blue eye in fire nation robes. I liked her whenever I was with her I was calm. She started as an imaginary friend but now more than ever she felt real.**_

 _ **When I came to after my lessons with Aermayl I was alone and freezing in the shed. My father had abandoned me again to my own devices. I hobbled off the table towards the door and melted some snow for my purposes and went to work I was cover in cuts bruises and burns.**_

 _ **(End)**_

I came back shivering, I was only what seven? Ten years flight by. I take a deep breath and grab my bowl of soup and start crying. I'm alone, all alone now when will I ever have my family back when will I get to eat this again. I sip favoring the taste as I crawl back into my nest and settle in. I cry as the realization of what I'm doing hits. How will sokka and Katara react to this? Will they hate me? As I finish the soup I feel warm and exhaustion take me into darkness.

 _Hours later_

I awake to a jolt as the ship rumbles as if we've hit ice. "No no no! If this ship goes down I won't be able to get help! Or worse I'll die in the attic waters. I scramble for my boots and coat not bothering to button it as I take to the ventilation. As far as I could tell there was no panic from the crew so I calmed a bit but they all seemed to be headed towards some where. I found a cavernous space in which they assembled calmly and opened the vent and grabbed onto the high beams of the ceiling. Up here they at least won't suspect anything. The rumbles ceased after a bit and the prince stood towards the wall which I could only assume was the front of the ship. I stared in awe as the ship opened up to the arctic air. I wrapped myself tighter within my coat and squinted my eyes to the blinding light on the open sky. When the front of the ship formed a ramp I was shocked to find that the men were prepared for an ambush and they were at my villages doorstep.


	13. Oh the places you'll go

**Hello again my readers it's great to finally get past this part. From now on I get a lot more freedom to play with my story and my characters. I had to mull over this a while before I came to a conclusion on how to write this and end this part of the story which sets our characters up for their journey. As always I only own my rendition of the story and my view of the characters of ALTA nor the actual story.**

 **But I do I fact own my baby girl Anaka**

Pov Anaka

From my perch I watch as the doorway opened to my small village. When it reached the bottom it turned out to be an effective ramp for the small band of fire nation troops and the prince. I grab my coat and pull it closer to my body. And snicker at the men below me shuddering even harder at the brisk air of the South Pole.

And with that they marched down towards my family. Our small village all that remains huddled together the fear written upon their faces.

My heat was torn. I could risk my hide for them and forever lose them and my chance at finding teachers to balm can my bending talents by attacking now and putting my family first. That would probably get me killed or wait it out and hope the the gods that these men are different from the old raiders and that my family lives. But with that I could also sit here and watch them be slaughtered by the men and I could go and find teachers anyway.

Act or not act and the risk on either was heavy.

If I did revel myself as a bender I could put everyone in more danger not to mention would they even accept me if any of us lived? I know gran gran does but what about Katara? She would probably hate me and then not to mention my idea to basically run away to learn without her.

Wait where's sokka?

Oh god he's playing warrior again! And he's put on war paint! Seriously I know that those are our customs but really what good can that do against benders. He can't even fight that well! Well flame for brains take the lead down the ramp and here come my cousins stupid battle cry

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" Right on time dipshit. And why are you going head first into battle with you center off balance and wielding your mallet above your head like a mad man? Come on sokka I can take you out five ways, before I get breakfast.

Without a misstep the prince of gloom quickly dispatches sokka with easy first kicking his mallet out of his hands one way sending the thing flying like a lopsided boomerang. And the kicked sokka in the face sending him falling into the snow pile which I could only assume was once the walls of the village. That or Sokka's poorly made watch tower. One nice moves, two I probably would have kicked his ass even more for that.

So not that bad. That idiots head is way thick enough for that kick it wasn't even that hard. I've probably hit him twice as hard. Anyway just looking at the dope's rear end sticking out of the drift was making me giggle. I would have briar a gut if I wasn't trying to remain stealthy.

The rest of the village gasps in fear. What I would give to show them what I've done to sokka on a daily basis during training would have their heads reeling. So far these guys really haven't even come close to what happened during the raids before. But then there's the fear factor cuz we still don't know if they won't do just what our minds have cooked up form the darker depths of imagination.

So the men make a small formation three on either side with the center being my new favorite dumb dumb prince I want it my way. And he strides up, if that what you can call it under all of that attitude, ahem I mean armor. And he paces a bit seeming to be scanning the measly crowd of the southern tribe for some thing.

Now if he'd just grunt at them I'm sure a few would faint. And finally he decides that his I'm angry face, which also seems to be his only face is not enough.

"Where are you hiding him?" Well way to go torchbutt! Really descriptive.

You can hear the the silence

With that he grabs grangran by her hood. I ready to make a quick save if needed. "He'd be about this age, master of all elements"

Oh great we got ourselves a nut looking for the avatar. Well I relax and stop from trying to ready my sneak attack. I don't think this loons gonna be dangerous. I mean this guys uncle who's all around a good relaxed guy from what I can tell hang around him. He's not that bad, despite what his face says.

"I know you're hiding him" he demands as he spits fire just close enough to feel the flames.

"Ahhhhhh!" Oh Sokka's dug himself out. Let's see how utterly useless he is this time.

Once he's close and swinging down prince just sucks down and watches the dumbass just fly. He got some nice airtime too. And then prince shoots flames at his but. Sokka rears his next attack. Boomie goes flying and looks like it's going to connect and the soars past the prince who take the time to stare at it as it vanishes.

Ooo now he's mad. Probably by my cousins poor skills and the fact he has to stoop to his level it's really isn't getting them anywhere. And all he asked was a simple question. Well that before he started to demand things. One of the village boys crys out Sokka's mantra."show no fear" and then gives him his poorly made spear.

Oh sokka please don't use that? I've had trouble not trying to break that thing for your sake. I'm surprised that it lasted this long. I close my eye not wanting to witness this level of stupidity anymore. I hear the snapping of what I can only assume is the spear. I open my eye to find sokka being poked in the head by the remains before they too are broken.

This Ryan's quite a few laugh and some remembrances below me covering my own laughter. And I double over to see that boomie indeed came back to strike the prince in the back of the head to upset the placement of his helmet. I can only image what his face looked like in that moment. God I wished I could see it.

Woah, flame blades! I got to learn how to make those! Just imagine how fast cooking would be with those.

/note to self: eat food after this/

Now what in the world is~ l start the thought as I see a plume of snow rush in to sweep out the legs of the prince. He ends up with his helmet completely removed and now suiting atop his royal ass. And it turns out Anng finally got to go penguin sledding after all. The kids sheer with joy. Well he's as carefree as ever as he just sits there and greets my family like nothing's wrong.

Then the men encircle Anng and he asks "looking for me?"

"You're the air bender? Your Beth's avatar?" Well that's a shock. That would kinda explain why he thought I looked weird though? Wow I feel dumb.

"I've spent years trading for this day! Readying myself, but you? You're just a child!" Yeah most people thought he would be older, or that the cycle was broke or something. No it turns out our avatar ended up in a freakin ice berg for about 100 years!

"Well your just a teenager." And retorted

And so the pinwheel of fire began and ended quickly as it started. Anng offered to leave with the fire benders and I snuck back into the vents. With Anng promising Katara that everything would be ok. Well it sure would when I was done with things.

Pov Katara

Anng was so brace when he faces off he fire nation and now it's up to me to help him. He protected everyone even after we had him banished.

"Katara stop moping over your boyfriend!" My brother called

"He's not my boyfriend! We have to go after that ship Sokka. Anng saved us now it's our turn to return the favor. If we don't no one will!"

"Katara"

"I know you don't like him but he's on our side and-" sokka covers my mouth and glares at me.

"What!"

"Are you going to yak all day or will you help?" He points to the kanoe he step up sometime.

"Sokka" I happily squeaked and squeezed him in a hug. He finally understood that Anng needs us.

"Now get in, we need to move fast if we're going to catch up to your boyfriends boat."

"He's not my boyfriend Sokka!"

"My my my what did I do to earn me some strange grandchildren? Now what on the tides do you two thing your doing?" Oh busted. Gran gran found us.

"It's not like we ment to just leave you and Anaka but we need to rescue Anng gran gran!" Sokka explained grann gran simply smiled pulling out two sacks of food and our sleeping bags. "You'll need these, you have a long journey ahead of you"

She ten to me "You've brought back hope where there was none Katara" and the to sokka "and you my brace warrior, be nice to your sister." With that she hugged us tightly

"Anng is the avatar, and you children found him for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined."

"But what about Anaka? Wouldn't her destiny also be intertwined too?" I ask grangran

"Don't you fret about that girl her destiny lies elsewhere. And her story has only begun. But if fate so chooses your streams will crossover once again."

With that reassurance I turn to boar the kanoe only to realize we'd never catch up in time. "How are we going to catch up in a war ship with this?"

As if to answer me appa climbed over the ridge. "Appa!"

"You just love taking me out of my comfort zone don't cha?"

Pov Zuko

Finally I get to go home, after all these years. Even if the avatar turns out to be a kid it doesn't matter. I finally get to restore my honor.

The more as I look at this kid it frustrates me. He is so calm even through he's been captured. Not once have I seen any other emotion other than calm and curiosity. I decide to examine the staff he carried with him while my men tied the boy up. I'll give this wooden thing to my father as a trophy that he will see me as something more than a failure. After this I'll be the son who brought the avatar in the only one who was able to capture and prove his worth to the fire nation that our ancestors couldn't.

I want to test the waters let's see what this avatar can do if provoked with insults

"This will do nicely for my father. Not that you'd know about fathers being raised by monks" and answer was just a confused look well no matter.

"Take the avatar to his cell. And that this staff to my quarters." I order my crew. I need to meditate and visualize my victory in this moment. Babysitting this kid will do nothing for me. Either that or more training, actually training will give me a clearer head that uncles ridiculous meditation. I wanted a fight and I got a willing captive instead. I make my way towards the dojo with my uncle close behind.

"Now what is the plan prince Zuko? You have the avatar, after all these years." My uncle questions as we enter the dojo.

I ignore him for a bit while setting up my training gear. But I look up to find him still standing waiting for a verbal answer. I huff why didn't he know that the plan hadn't changed

"The same plan as always. Go back home"

"But what is home to you prince Zuko?"

That was the last straw. I reel around and let my flames burst from my soul this does nothing to intimidate uncle as he stands unfazed and unharmed by my outburst "We finally have a chance to restore my honor and return home and your questioning my next move?!" He stares and turns away leaving me with my anger. I don't know what it's for but I grunt and kick down the punching bag and it catches flames.

Pov Anaka

Ok so the staff is going to the prince's room and Anng is ok go find out where his cell is first. I'll worry about the staff later. I can't just steal it and not get caught they need to go missing around the same time to make sure my cover isn't blown. I know as long as he gets off this ship with his staff Anng will be alright. Also I don't think he's the kid who'd be alright leaving a friend, if that's what we are behind. So I'm going to have to keep my presences a secret. I have no duo at that if Katara asked him about what happen here that he would tell her that her cousin helped him escape. He seems to have a crush on her. And if she figured that out she literally wouldn't stop until I was with her or gran gran safe from the fire nation. But with my abilities waning I'd only put her in harms way. I need a trainer to balance myself with my bending for everyone's sake. I'd rather accidentally wreck a fire navy ship than hurt my family.

So onwards to the guards and let's sees if I can find something useful.

I haven't seen much in my few hours since I passed out from the adrenaline rush. But if the smell was anything to go by I think I could find the extra gear set for cleaning. I guess when your in a boat for a while you kinda give up on cleaning because it's just the crew you see daily. Or that or men just found ways to stink. At least they smelled better than sokka.

I dropped down into the pile of gear set to be cleaned. " it's just for a short while, Anaka, you can do this." My little pep talk made me feel better as I quickly started to rummage through the gear for something in my size.

I dug down and found something that felt like it would fit. I pulled it up to find the under garments of the military uniform the men all wore. I almost puked. Oh my goodness whoever wore this needed help. I was almost tempted to wash the pile of stench myself. But I just needed it to use as disguise and this would surely keep my hidden no one would want to be near me long enough to notice my size. So I put my needs aside and shoved the shirt and pants on over my other clothes. "Definitely finding the showers after this."

Ok so I slip on the under clothes and pull up the armor. Ok just let me see, is it go this way? I flip it around a few times trying to figure out which spot was the front. Ok I think the part with the two lines goes forward and it clicks together some how. After a while I get the clothes to look semi right. I really hope that this stench keeps them from looking to close. I almost forget a helmet as I walk out the door. "Shit I may make this look convincing if I want this to work" I joke with myself as I slip it on. The metal is cold and the helmet is a tad bit as it slightly tilts as I walk along. My heart starts to thunder in my chest. I really hope this works, I swear if I mess this up there'll be consequences. Maybe I'll be passed of as one of the shorter men. Hopefully.

Ok it's up the stairs and to the right. I here some men move around above me. Oh well here goes something, please no one pay notice to me.

I ascend the stairs to find a common room where some of the men had gathered. "And to think he made such a big fuss over the avatar just to find a measly kid!" One of the men goffed " if I were in charge I would have just gutted the kid there and been done with him! Brought his head as a gift for the Fire lord" the man continued with a hearty laugh and dark eyes his face flush from what I could only assume was beer. "That kids to soft for me, if I had my way I would kill him too. To bad uncle keeps to his side all the time. I'd kill the both if I knew I would end up dead for it!" I sipped his beer and the men around him geared and laughter rose around them.

"The kid would last a minute on his own royal blood or not" another added. "Hey Chekom why don't we just kill him?" A man to his right said he was tall and build and his eye held a fire that seemed more dangerous that I'd ever seen. The man in the middle seemed to consider this when his eye fell on me. I can't figure out when I decided to stop and listen in but when our gases met I froze in utter fear. His eye were almost the color of crimson but they were cold. Deathly cold.

"Well, well if it isn't a little bird? What? You thought I wouldn't notice you standing out in the open? Why Viddo if you're going to spy why not at least shower first? Or better yet stay out of the line of sight" Chekom says as he stalks towards me. Slow and predator like as I try to back up away from him. What should I do? I start to panic.

"Oh look the uncles favorite spy getting himself in just too deep." He states with glee and the other men start to circle in. They block any route to escape. I try to speed with the deepest voice I can muster " I'm not afraid of you and your gang Chekom"

He looks me up and down as I try to get a more confident stance. " that's not what your body says" and he reals back a punch which I barely dodge. I take my chance while he's still off balance to land a few quick Gibbs in his abdomen allowing some distance to be made between us and break for it. I slide up one of the men and land a swift kick to the knee of another as I run fast up the next stairwell to the deck of the ship.

I have a feeling who ever viddo is will not like the surprise later. I'm sorry I whisper. As I here the men call out threats to me as I run promising a beating when I'm alone again.

I find the hall where two men guard the door to a room. And when I was just about to avoid there area one of them spots me. "Hey viddo, weren't you going to take a bath? I mean I know that it's your turn to babysit but you didn't need to neglect yourself for us"

"Uh, yeah it's just there's some of the good shit in the cafeteria and I know how you'd be like if you had missed out" I try to keep speaking form my gut. Hopefully this sounded right for viddo.

"Man, you're too good for us vid. Cmon Dota let's get some grub." The man said. Leaving me with a room. I tip toe and look in to see Anng meditating looking calm despite the situation.

Shit I don't have the keys. Crap what todo what todo. I look around to see if there was anything around to use for leverage. But I found nothing close by and I could just leave the door someone would start to wonder if there was no one here to "guard" the avatar. Breath Anaka let's see what we can't do instead of can't. That's when it hit me it could possibly freeze the hinges on the door to the point the icc starts to break them and get Anng to escape with a simple comment. So I work on messing with the hinges rusting and breaking the right grip. I suddenly hear the metal creak and Anng gets up and walks over to the door next thing I know I'm slammed against the wall and a quick sooty is uttered as the figure runs off. Ow! That hurt. Well at least he's free I make my way back into the vents and pass out once my entrance is sealed. I just want to sleep this off.

Pov Katara

We've been riding appa for some time but he still hasn't taken to the sky like Anng has described to us. I still hold hope that he has the entertainment to do just that while sokka seems both fed up and tired and now is mocking both me and appa with his words.

"Fly, soar, ascend" he reiterates boredly

I try to plead to appa "please appa we need you to fly Anng needs you"

"Up, go, elevate, transcend" sokka interrupts

" sokka may not think you can fly, but I do. And we'd never catch up to save Anng without you. Don't you want to save Anng?" I try

"What was it that monster lover said?"

"He's not a monster sokka"

"No to was something like yeaha, hup hip, wahoo, um yip yip?"

Appa let's out a grunt or a moan as he picks up speed and his tail lifts from the water. Within seconds we're now airborne.

"He's flying! Katara he's flying!" Sokka screams then he looms at me and his tune changes " I mean, big deal he's flying"

"Hahahahaha!" 

Pov zuko

"Capture him before he escapes!"

It seems that the avatar has more fight in him than I originally thought. Might as well wait until he comes to me. Since I have his staff.

Time skip

"Ah, my staff!" The boy cries. Now just come in the room. As he gleefully retrieves his staff I slam the door behind him. Now here's the fight. What was the problem earlier? Was he just protecting the village? No matter. "Looks like I underestimated you"

He just gives me a dopey look. Did he really not expect any trap or fight. I get in my stance. I send out my first attack and he quickly sidesteps it. No wonder he has gotten this far. None of my men have that kind of agility. But how about rapid fire and an onslaught of flame bust forward pushing the avatar into the corner. He is panting and I can't help but smirk does he think he can catch me off guard by just playing defense. I may be one of the youngest on this ship but I'm an experienced warrior. I'll force him to fight. I resumed my attack. Forcing him leftward. Then suddenly he takes a direction I didn't expect. How lunges forwards and dive beneath my hands which were spewing flames to roll through my legs. I know he's behind me so I try to smoke him out with a kick but he contours to elude me dancing just past my periphery behind me where any attack of mine is utterly useless. This is the frustrating and tiring so I turn around and start to fight face to face with the avatar.

He bends away the attacks he can't escape with simple air shields and then flys about the room rideing a ball of air. He is more kuning and tricky. Alright zuko all you have todo it clip him once and you can turn this fight in your favor. For what seems like forever I try to catch up with the kid to no avail all my flames never reach his ever retreating form. Then he grabs one of the fire nation tapestries from the walls and before I can even attack or maneuver away I find myself tightly wrapped in it.

This gave him the chance to grab his staff. I try struggling to untangle myself. Damn him he thinks he's so cleaver doesn't he? Well what about this I bend my flame to incinerate the cloth and return to face him. Think zuko he's a master of the element be on guard. Then I was slammed not only into the wall but the ceiling as well by my ignorance. Damn this kid I don't even care anymore I will capture him and I will regain my honor.

I race after him towards the helm and find him trying to escape me. He tries the staff which turns into a glider and jumps to it to fly away. Before I really think about it I hurtle myself after him luckily grabbing his foot effectively dragging him down with me. Damn kid thinks that he can escape me!

He thinks he can mock me and get away with it. I've serpent too long away from home hunt him to just take this.

"Ooahaosvaa"

The weird sound draws my attention to the sky. "What is that?" I ask

"Appa!" The avatar gleefully shouts. He's turn his back does he not see me as a threat does he have no honor ? He clearly does not understand that he's in the middle of battle. "Don't you turn you back on me!" I stoop and flame burts from deep within my belly throwing him to the rails of the deck. I'm tried of all his running and all the pain and suffering I've done just to have this travesty happen. I throw at blast after blast I don't care if I kill him or capture him at this point I just want this to end.

He falls off board into the cold waters below.

"I guess I'll just have to tell my father I killed he avatar" I say as I pick up the dead boys staff.

"Anng " the voice of a girl rings from above clearly concerned about the boy. I was getting annoying with her voice and her constant calling for the dead avatar. I was about to tell her how futility it was an that she was too late when suddenly from the water came a funnel of water.

It towers over the ship and I was frozen in fear for another time in my life. Anng as the girl called was bending water he lands himself in the center of me and my men and takes the water can circles himself then shoves it away from himself fast and I'm too sad over board.

I hate water. And I especially hate freezing water.

Pov Katara

We had been flying for a while when we finally caught up with the ship just to watch Anng bend not only air but water after he fell into the cold waters below us.

"Did you see what he just did?" I said astonishingly to my brother who from what I could tell had about the face face as I did. "Now that was some water bending" sokka admitted.

We land appa down as Anng passes out from what ever trance he was yet again in. His tattoos turned back from white to blue. I felt my heart stop and I slung myself as fast as I could off appa to go help Anng.

"Are you ok?" I life's him up and held him close. He grumbled and opens his brown eyes."hey Katara, hey sokka thanks for coming" he looked haggard and beaten but it didn't look like it was much else. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Like we'd let you have all the fun to yourself." Sokka joked

"I dropped my staff" it seemed like he was still coming out of a daze through. Poor Anng

"I'll get it bud" sokka ran off to retrieve it for Anng who was still out for the count. I grabbed Anng and helped him to his feet

"Come on let's get you to appa and get out of here" and I slowly walked him over and helped him get on appa.

"Ha! And that's from the water tribe!" Sokka yelled out of nowhere.

"Sokka hurry up" I scoped him

"Oh right and he started to run over when some of the men started to stir from being knocked out by Anng. Well if Anng can do it so can I. I take a deep breath and lift a small stream of water and the men freeze after all they just suffered from Anng and it seems like three weren't prepared for dealing with water benders. But when I went to freeze them my efforts went backwards instead of at the men advancing towards me.

"Katara!" And they apparently found sokka instead. I try a second time this time facing away from the fire nation men and do the same thing. My heart pounding as I anticipated being grabbed at any moment. I turn to find the men froze in a thin layer of ice and call out for sokka to hurt it up.

"It's not like I have any magic powers over here! I'm just the guys with a boomerang!"

I'm in the seat of appa when sokka climbed up the tail yelling yip yip frantically. We soar away when we see they have made a last ditch effort to ground us. And without hesitation Anng quickly diverts the flame causing a avalanche to cover the ship as we soar away to safety laughing at our brush with danger and our small victory.

So we fly for a bit until the tension gets to thick. "Why didn't you tell us your the avatar!" Sokka demands

"Be cause I never wanted to be" Anng answers as he turns away the clouds cast a shadow to emphasis his hurt from being what he is.

"Anng the world needs you! Your supposed to stop this war." I say hoping a little encouragement might help

"How am I supposed to do that?" He asks plainly

"Well if legends are correct you'd have to master water earth then fire bending"

"Sounds right."

"Then were off to the North Pole, there'll definitely being water benders there! And then-"

"We can train together." Anng finishes

"Yay! You to get to be magic buddies together what's in it for me? Other than making sure my sisters alright." Sokka complains

"Probably knocking a few fire heads together" I put out there

"Works for me" he gladly says leaning back into the saddle.

"Before we go to the North Pole I have a few things todo" Anng says pulling out a map

"Like what I seriously doubt anyone would be mad about you not finishing an errand for a hundred years not to mention they'd probably be dead" sokka says I hit him

"Not nothing like that, um, more like sightseeing. Since you haven't ever left the South Pole and I haven't done this for years we have to go."

"And where would that be?" I ask and settle in to look at a map of the world we haven't ever explored.

Pov Anaka

There was another lurch in the ship jolting me awake.

I relaxe when I realize that I wasn't in danger but almost throw up after smelling myself. I crawl towards the laundry room as fast as my throbbing head and aching limbs allow me. I fight back at the darkness that wants to reclaim my consciousness. Everything is slow and blurry as I rip the armor off my body trying not to collapse on the ground. I am thankful for the helmet which leased the blow of the heavy metal door but it still feels like my head to most of the brunt.

Aimee where down a level I find the showers and bath off the smell and work the heat into the sore muscles of my body. For once I was glad to be on a ship with working heat being as I liked to take extremely hot showers. The rigorous events of this past day wearing on my body which was not accustomed to this kind of treatment. I stumble out and down the hall for a bit this part of the ship is oddly quiet and I find myself struggling to climb into the vents to get back into my room and find myself tempted to climb into this bed in the simple room I found which smelled much of teas. But the sudden sound of footsteps gave me the extra push to make the endeavor into the vents.

The door bursts open to behold an angry prince and his dear uncle

"Now now prince zuko, there is no need for such a fuss. We will recapture the avatar in no after all he's only a kid"

" uncle that kid as you so say just took out our ship!"

"This is a just a learning experience"

"Tell the men as soon as their done we'll be setting off after him! I can't have this disgrace getting out" the young prince slams his hands on the desk in front of him.

"In the meantime let's have a cup of nice relaxing tea as we forgive our what failed this time so we're better prepared for the next time"

"Why are you even asking uncle? It's clear that I'm am the one who failed in this endeavor! I fail to hold a meet kid in my ship." His shoulders shook in rage. My hear lurched unexpectedly in the want to reach out and hug him. It wasn't his fault, not even close. I was the one who set the escape in motion with breaking the door.

"No my nephew"

"Isn't it?" He twisted around thrusting his hand forward with fire. Push in his uncle back wards tears welling in his amber eyes. "What do you know uncle!? You've always had your honor! Been a Great War hero worshiped and respected. I haven't even masted my bending! I was late in even showing signs for a royal! Do you even know how hard that was. How many looks I got because of it?" He sobbed "and now my only chance at redemption lies in capturing and delivering a kid who just slipped through my fingers"

His uncle pulled him in a tight hug

"I can hear their feelers now, looks there he goes the defective prince who can't even capture a kid." He cries into the older mans shoulder.

"Zuko, you must be proud of yourself not many can say that they've even capture the avatar for an hour. You are not defective" he pauses pulling the unspent cook away from him to look at his face like any concerned parent would "now do you want some tea to calm down with? I'm pretty sure I have some that will do wonders" Iroh says giving zuko pace and an excuse to say out of the crews eyes for the time.

"Ah I found it," he uncovered the lid and wafts the tea to give a nice smell of it. "Chamomile tea the great tea for calming and it also tends to not only relax muscles but helps with headaches too if you ask me. Although ginger tea would work to"

And that was all I could stay awake for before I sifted off to sleep from my hot shower.


	14. It'l be relaxing, right?

p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Author's notes./strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"Hey readers, I know its been a while since my last update. Honestly, I've been fighting with this chapter for a while. I knew the plot of the story but I couldn't figure out how to get there. But here we are again. I've finally worked past my writer's block and finished this chapter. Also thank you em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Frankie/em for giving me the last shove to finish this chapter up. But Hopefully things will be going my way for continuing this story. But who cares after all these set backs with school and life and shit? Our characters are back and full of all they're lovely quirkiness./strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal"(Zuko pov)/p  
p class="MsoNormal""You did what!" I cant believe it, after chasing the Avatar and his gang for two months. We finally come along intel that might just help us finally recapture him before the news reaches the ears of my father, my uncle rerouted us. To a vacation spot! Because he feels like it!/p  
p class="MsoNormal""And this is why we need to take a break prince Zuko, you see you are far too stressed. Also, Yusei bo, is known for its thriving economy, saunas, and fascinating trinkets. Also did I mention they are famous for their tea ceremonies." My uncle continued as he was pitching the idea for the first time. It wasn't like he said this before while causally stroking his beard./p  
p class="MsoNormal""You already have an entire vault of this ship dedicated to your collections!" I seethed as him. The flames in the room licking at the walls and revealing the newly burnt areas weather they once were. They kissed the wounds of the ship in false hopes of fixing the damage that was dealt. "How much more crap do you need, uncle!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Nephew, you fail to see past your own nose. That room is filled with priceless treasures, if you would just take a look…"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""FINE! Lets go to Yumei Tong, whatever! As long as it gets you out of this room!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I knew you would see reason, you are a very wise young man, if I do say so myself." My uncle said triumphantly as he walked towards the door of the meditation room as if nothing had happened. "also,.."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""what" I said exasperated/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Remember, the deal we made a while ago?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""what deal, oh" I remembered the deal that the next time we stop for pleasure I'd at least spend some time off ship for once, in exchange I got to have full control of our stops for the next month./p  
p class="MsoNormal"" I cant wait to taste the Yusei bo tea, I also sent a bird ahead for our reservations to the saunua."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""aggh!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"I threw my cup at the door my uncle retreated behind. Only to be left with the happy muttering of an old man walking away and the metallic ring of metal./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Maybe, uncle was right, We've been chasing after the avatar without rest for soo long, we all might just need some time away from everything./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"(Anaka pov)/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"Oh, thank the gods! I think I've heard the best rumor ever. After months of being at see endlessly only stopping to try and hunt down Anng. We've finally got a few days of rest. No most overly stressed and skeptic soldiers to tiptoe around. And no more having to worry about whether or not I can slip off the ship without it leaving me behind. I can get off the ship and shop! Relax, and whatever else I want!/p  
p class="MsoNormal"I mean, the further we've traveled away from home the more I've had to try and find lighter clothes to wear. I mean there are a lot of options but, not a lot actually fit my frame. Heck even my summer gear is still to warm for the ever-warming climate. After rummaging around through the clutter I've found a simple fire nation dress. Its nothing fancy but its material is better suited for the warm weather. It's a simple long sleeve dress with buttons that fasten to the right tow toward the top weather the fabric sits at an angle and the other two at the waist. These are normally hidden by a series of waist ties. The sleeves are puffy until it comes three quarters down my arm which are more tight fit. The skirt goes down to my knees and I found some boots. The entire outfit is an assortment of reds, I also found some tights and short booties which seemed to matched. If I pinned my hair back, I looked simple and cute. Even with my earrings, and their matching scared tissue./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Yusei bo here I come!/p  
p class="MsoNormal"I guess I need a story for this new look. I mean from the pamphlet I found while checking the old man's room. Its seems like a big shopping and tourist place, lots of goodies and places to buy stuff. So I need to be prepared to be at the very least a bit social. I think I can wok with a simple farm girl or something, Do they have farms in the fire nation. I assume so with all the good food I've been eating which tends to be fire nation based. Just thinking of all the spices and seasoning is making my mouth water./p  
p class="MsoNormal"I found the old mirror that was a few rows back from my nest which had become far comfier and more decorated over the months I've spent here within this room with nothing to-do. I've never been more sea sick in my life! Those nights in those big waves in a dark room was not helpful. Ah well, I mean Those sleepless night had made my space both roomier than what a started with (I was like crunched in a corner) and nicer. With nothing better to-do, I found lots of motivation fixing it up, I also found some cushions and blankets and plumped up my bed and I even have a small area that I use to sit now and prepare small meals when making it to the kitchen to steal food was a bit to trying. I found out the mirror which is a few rows back from my living space is normally my closet space and its become the place where I keep most if not all of the clothes I find or have that fit./p  
p class="MsoNormal""ahem"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""hi, I'm Anaka! I've just come from my farm"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"No no no, lets not use my name. also a bit too enthusiastic? Lets try again./p  
p class="MsoNormal""Um, hi I'm new to the area. Yeah just came from my families farm to visit my aunt for a while." Aunts are safe right? " Any way my name is … is, is Toziso" Toziso, really!? Ok let's try something closer to the truth, Tei? Naseko? No how about Sio, maybe Azeli? Yes Azeli! close to Anaka enough to hopefully not mess up. Lets try this again./p  
p class="MsoNormal""hi, its nice to meet you! Oh. My name? My name is Azeli, My parents sent me to Yusei bo to stay with my aunt for a few days."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Ok break down, I'm a farm girl who lives with her parents on the family farm. My name is Azeli, my mothers is Shie, and my father is,, is Tozi! My parents decided to treat me by letting me visit my aunt while she is in Yusei bo for a business trip. Which means I'll only be in town for a few days. Good story me. Now how do I deter people from wanting to follow me back. I can't have them seeing me sneak my way back on the ship. What if I say that my aunt doesn't like visitors? That'll work for some people, I guess. I know I use my self-defense techniques and say I can handle myself just fine. I mean I do work a farm and my father was in the military for a while so he taught me some moves./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"I'm starting to really like this plan. Now its time to do some stealth research I need to know if this is really happening. I check my reflection once more wearing my new disguise and I unclip my hair letting it far back to where it was before. I couldn't stand looking at my ears anymore. So my soft brown curls flopped back to my face in a familiar hug. It would cause to many questions anyway./p  
p class="MsoNormal"(Zuko pov)/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Trying to calm down wasn't an option. Trying to calm down while hungry harder. So I decided I might as well go to the galley and try to eat a decent meal for once./p  
p class="MsoNormal""hmm, spicy noodles with shredded jerk and fire blossom tea" the galley sign read. Not bad but there have been better I guess even the chef is a bit run down./p  
p class="MsoNormal"I walk to the line and the room grows quite the men wee rowdy with the news of the short break. I only recently found out that the detour my uncle scheduled was for 4 days. All eyes were on me as I got my tray of food and strolled to my seat./p  
p class="MsoNormal"They all just kept looking then across the room the trio started to push the newer addition toward me egging him to ask all what they wanted to know. Was the rumor true. God it was takng to long. I just wanted to eat my dinner in peace. As this was the last time I'd have it for a while. I was dreading being dragged around my my uncle for several days. Nevermind the men on this ship partying until it was the last day./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""if you have something to say just spit it out" the young man, matsu was it? Shot straight up as a rod and slowly turn twards me shaking. "is isis it ttttrue that we have a break at Yu Yuyusei bo?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"You could have heard their eyeballs clicking./p  
p class="MsoNormal""mggmf" I sighed as I admitted my defeat "yes, it seems so."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""yeaaah!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I expect you all to be ready as soon as this is over because we will be working double time to make up for this excursion!" and they soon fell silent again./p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""what my nephew was saying was to enjoy yourselves while you can you deserve it"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""look how happy they are zuko, when was the last time you saw any of them smile?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""they don't smile at me uncle, ever"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""then this is a great time to get to know your crew." He happy gaufed./p  
p class="MsoNormal""no"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Ah, if you don't take the time to enjoy life, you might just miss your best year without knowing it"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Uncle, I've been discarded by my nation sent adrift on what was an seemingly impossible mission to regain my honor AND my home. And you insisting to slow down. What if I don't catch the avatar and someone else does? Do you really never want to see the capital again?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I've found that sometimes you find things you were looking for in unexpected places and ways."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I'm eating in my room" I grab my tray and stand up to leave./p  
p class="MsoNormal""you also could find thing you never would have found too" my uncle says before taking a sip of his tea./p  
p class="MsoNormal"I leave them all in the galley to eat in solitude./p  
p class="MsoNormal"(Anaka pov)/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Double score! Woo! Never has that phrase actually make since since Sokka invented it in his crazy game. I never understood how exactly to play but I seemed to always win, so much he invented the double score in order to try and catch up./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Not only did I get to eat delicious food again, but I found out that the rumors were true. Know it was only mere hours before we reached shore so I decided to head to my cozy nook to sleep. "When I wake up, I will finally socialize with someone other than myself." I yawned as I pulled my covers up and snuggled into my bed./p  
p class="MsoNormal"em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"Several hours later/em/p  
p class="MsoNormal"I stepped onto solid ground and took in a deep breath of the fresh morning air. It was a bit strange because my feet and my brain still were fighting about being on ground that wasn't swaying. So I sat in the early hour just taking in the morning life./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The men last night partied until the early hours as I woke up and the stranglers were still shuffling off in they're afterparty stupor. After sneaking around, and peeking around corner I walked out onto the desk and descend the walkway to the dock below. I was lost in thoughtspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanwhen two very familiar faces appeard to my right./p  
p class="MsoNormal""well my, my they sent such a fair maiden to escort us around Yusei bo today?" the old man said startling me/p  
p class="MsoNormal""woah, I mean no." I paused scratching my head "you scared me sir."/p  
p class="MsoNormal"We stood there in awkward silence for a moment. The old man in a lesser shock than me. With a veerrry grumpy fire but groaning behind him. As if realizing this the old man stepped toward me and gently grasped my hand./p  
p class="MsoNormal""Well I'm sorry young miss, but no one so beautiful has called me sir. Don't mind my nephew, he just not use to be up in these early hours."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""oh, I don't mind" calm down Anaka, its not like they know you've been a stowaway on their ship. In fact, this might end up being my stop if I happen to fight a master. If not, I should just enjoy this./p  
p class="MsoNormal""What bring you two here to Yusei bo? Especially so early?" I ask as I peer over to the grumpy Prince./p  
p class="MsoNormal""oh we're just here to enjoy ourselves, right Zuko"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Zuko growled at the mention of his name, I wonder if its because it could be linked to his lineage. I guess I might as well play dumb./p  
p class="MsoNormal""well I guess that goes for me too! Any major plans while you're here?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""oh we plan to make a stop at some of the famous tea houses here, and then relax at the best sauna in town." Zuko groans more ask his uncle goes through their itinerary. I have to giggle it reminds me so much of Sokka's training camp sessions. He's like a big kid. Well if the kid had permanent sour face on./p  
p class="MsoNormal""do you happen to have any plans that match up with ours, perhaps?" the old man asks me. Red flag, no way am I going to hang out with them all day, I was planning to explore around maybe find new stuff. Ask around for a master. Would it be weird to admit that? Yes, it would! I doubt that most people here train this late in life other than to keep sharp on their skills. What if they invite me to stay with them during their trip. The chances of being caught increase exponentially. Shit, shit, got to say something./p  
p class="MsoNormal""no plans exactly, my parent's kind of sprung this trip on me." Good non-committal, and if by parents you mean the ship you stowed away on even better just keep stretching the truth until they leave./p  
p class="MsoNormal""why, then don't you join us today? We've been traveling so long with just men. A pretty face might do my nephew some good." "pfft" god that old man has both charm and guilt. But it shall not work, I will not fall in to this trap./p  
p class="MsoNormal""as much as your invite intrigues me, I am afraid Top-knot behind you doesn't seem to agree. Not to mention I doubt I'd be able to pay for any of the experiences you mentioned. My family isn't the richest" I said with a small giggle, god stop looking at me like that Prince of jerks! Ever since his uncle mentioned inviting me he has been giving me this glare./p  
p class="MsoNormal""nonsence! Come with us, tea is much better with company." And with that the old man swept me along in stride as we headed into the town./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Ok time to panic, stick to story, I guess I'm hanging out with them today. Note to self, do not under whatever circumstances stand in front of the ship tomorrow!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal""now that we're friends lets get to know one another"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""uncle!" Zuko protested/p  
p class="MsoNormal""As you already know the grumpy one behind us is my Nephew Zuko, don't worry he is almost always grumpy but at east this is one of his better days." You don't have to tell me, I watched him lose his cool several times over the months./p  
p class="MsoNormal""my name is Iroh, and what happens to be your name?" Iroh was smooth/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I'm Azeli, it's a pleasure to meet you Iroh" I smile at him. We walk through the streets getting closer to the first tea house "le chez" and we get a table for three and sit down. I grab one of the menus and start perusing it when to my surprise a hand comes gently and removes the menu from my hands. I look up in question to find Zuko, who is surprisingly calmer than how he started calmly shake his head in silent defeat./p  
p class="MsoNormal""you won't need it" he says with a whisper. I lean in close in curiosity./p  
p class="MsoNormal""why not?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""he just ends up ordering for you, and trust me he always knows what to get." We both share a look as we look over to Iroh who is happily ignoring us and whistling to himself./p  
p class="MsoNormal""but we just met he couldn't…"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""he will"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"And with that he returned to his stoic pain in the but self. Conversation over./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Without a doubt Iroh ordered us tea without even debating it. And in such a manner we receive or order. I grabbed my cup which had a red tint and smelled great. It was great. After we had pleasant conversations over tea we parted ways./p  
p class="MsoNormal"I wish./p 


End file.
